Threats To Peace
by CheeZe89
Summary: Would life be nice and peaceful after defeating Naraku? Of course not! This is the Warring States period! War, chaos and conflicts pervade the land and aren't exclusive to humans! What happens when old enemies and new ones appear? Set post-series, rated T to be sure.
1. Invasion

All characters, unless stated as original creations or additions, belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media and Shogakukan. Blame them. I'm just taking their characters' concepts to a different place. Also, feedback would be appreciated. Writers do not improve without criticism and suggestions from their audience.

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It was winter. Snow covered the hills and valleys like a white blanket while driving winds now kept everyone indoors. The inclement weather, however, was nothing to Sesshōmaru, Demon Dog Lord of the Western lands. He flew across the sky with faithful A-Un trailing behind and the sycophantic Jaken riding atop the two-headed dragon, shivering against the cold winds despite the blanket wrapped around him.

They were close to the borders with the realms of the other Demon Lords, including the aggressive Panther Tribe. Jaken's lord had been quiet, as was his wont, but rarely did they travel to the edge of their lands like this. There was nothing of importance here. Human villages and castles dotted the landscape but those were hardly of interest. Jaken could only wonder at what was pulling his lord so far west.

Without a word, Sesshōmaru descended and gracefully set his feet on the ground. The snow flurries limited how far they could see but Sesshōmaru stood, almost expectantly. Jaken sidled up beside his lord and was about to speak when a figure became outlined against the snow.

A moment later, the wind, as if commanded to do so, parted to reveal the person. Jaken gawked and sputtered. Only one demon he knew had the power to control the wind and she had died. Sesshōmaru frowned and took a step forwards.

"Tōran."

Her name was greeting enough and Sesshōmaru's voice reflected his dismissive mood. It was flat and hollow to Jaken, despite coming from such a regal voice. She, however, seemed to take pleasure at the mere sound of her name on his lips, purring audibly despite the wind.

Again, Jaken sputtered and took a step back at the appearance of an old enemy. She too, he realized, could control the elements!

"Hello, Sesshōmaru. I knew if I threw my scent into the wind, you would come. Dogs are good like that, they come when you beckon them," she smiled, flipping her long blue hair over her shoulder as a gesture of superiority.

The last three times they had met, Tōran had led the Panther Demon tribe to war in a bid to conquer his realm. They had first met over two hundred years ago, when Sesshōmaru's father challenged Tōran's father to combat while their armies clashed. Tōran herself had been a captain leading her Panthers against Sesshōmaru's own demon warriors. When the previous Demon Dog Lord slew the Panther King, Tōran had led the retreat of the Panther tribe.

Fifty-four years ago, upon learning of the death of Sesshōmaru's father, Tōran had led another invasion. Sesshōmaru, inheriting the mantle of Demon Dog Lord from his father, met them on the field of battle with a host of his father's demon warriors. Despite the loss of many demons, Sesshōmaru turned the tide of battle and forced the Panthers back once again. He had let them flee unmolested due to the pitiful state of his own forces. Sesshōmaru then had dared to hope the thrashings given to them by father and son would have ended their dreams of conquest.

Yet, again, four years ago, the Panther tribe had invaded with the intent to resurrect their lord using the Shikon Jewel. Again, Sesshōmaru had beaten them back with his own power, though Jaken had to give credit to the mongrel Inuyasha as well for helping that time.

They had retreated after Sesshōmaru used Tensaiga to restore the souls of Tōran's siblings to their bodies, having been killed by their father to regain his own power. Without those souls, Inuyasha had dealt the killing blow. Sesshōmaru, however, had already known the outcome and departed after delivering his crippling blow to the Panther King.

Here she was again, the Panther Demon who most closely rivaled Sesshōmaru in power.

"Three times were not enough? Must I beat you nine times before you admit defeat?" Sesshōmaru asked. She had been his equal four years ago; before he had his left arm restored and attained his personal sword, Bakusaiga. Now, Jaken felt confidently, Lord Sesshōmaru was the stronger of the two.

She smiled wider, placing an arm on her hip. "Didn't your brother tell you? I called off the vendetta. No, I came for two reasons, though one is bit more trivial than the other."

"Oh?" Sesshōmaru raised an eyebrow.

"Oh indeed," Tōran said, "Two weeks ago, the Northern Troll Demon clan sent an emissary to me. They asked if I would be willing to aid them in another invasion of your lands and at the end, we would split it in half."

"What? How dare you, after all that Lord Sesshōmaru did for you! This is how you repay his graciousness?" Jaken spat viciously when his liege suddenly bowled him over.

"Do not interrupt, Jaken," Sesshōmaru ordered.

Tōran stepped closer, drawing nearer to Sesshōmaru, with the graceful slink of a cat, her predatory gaze locked on him. "I declined, of course. The only one who can defeat you is me. I see you found your left arm and a new sword. I can also feel that your power has surpassed your father's but then… I have not wasted these past years either."

A powerful gale swept around them, tossing Jaken into the air and A-Un caught the little imp with both of his mouths. Sesshōmaru merely stood his ground, gazing from side to side as if examining something. "You always were a worthy opponent. It was only a matter of time until you ascended and became a _daiyōkai_ in your own right," Sesshōmaru commented.

Tōran smiled triumphantly at the praise, throwing her hair back and preening herself over his acknowledgment. "The other matter is less important. However, I do have to admit, you arrived sooner than I expected. I didn't think that my limited wind powers could have allowed my hair to reach you so quickly," she said lightly.

"It didn't. You cannot compare to the free wind," Sesshōmaru responded cryptically before turning to leave. Jaken stared at his master. That reference made no sense to him. Thinking hard, the little imp tried to remember what had started them on this journey but the cold wind was making it difficult.

From what Jaken could recall, the three of them had been travelling to seek out a powerful enemy to challenge when his lord had stopped to snatch something out of the air and sniff it. Jaken had not paid attention to it back then but his lord's face briefly, almost imperceptibly, changed to one of disgust. Nevertheless, they had continued onwards for a short while. Now that Jaken thought about it, the chances of a strand of hair simply finding its way to Sesshōmaru-sama were … incalculably small. Jaken did not know of any living demon with such a powerful control of the wind. Tōran's bursts of icy wind could not traverse the entire land. Then the imp caught the reference.

"Sesshōmaru-sama! Wait for me!" he cried, realizing that his lord was already some distance away. Jaken started running after him when he was stopped.

"Tell me, Jaken," Tōran said suddenly, causing the imp to freeze on the spot in panic. He had turned his back on the leader of the Panther Demon tribe. Was she going to slay him? And she knew his name? Of course, she would! He was the great Jaken! That didn't change the sudden danger he was in. Lord Sesshōmaru was too far away to intervene! "Does he always pretend to be so uninterested when he's actually dying to know something?"

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Chapter Notes: I am taking some liberties with the characters, obviously, though I hope these are in keeping with the characters. I had initially planned to have all the notes at the end but I think placing them at the end of each chapter is more fitting. I have made several changes to the language so it flows more smoothly.


	2. A Stench Upon the Wind

All characters, unless stated as original creations or additions, belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media and Shogakukan. Blame them. I'm just taking their characters' concepts to a different place. Also, feedback would be appreciated. Writers do not improve without criticism and suggestions from their audience.

* * *

Each step in the deep, cold snow meant nothing as he trudged along. Jaken and A-Un would follow him loyally and if Tōran chose to follow, she was free to do whatever she wanted. For now. However, it was quite an inopportune time for war. At least for him. No preparations had been made for a conflict of such scale. Sesshōmaru, himself, had not predicted an invasion by the Northern Trolls for a few more years and had planned accordingly. Nonetheless, if war was on the horizon, then at least he, Sesshōmaru, would have plenty of strong enemies to test himself against. That was how his father, the first Demon Dog Lord of the West, had won his name, title and lands.

The first thing to do was to confirm Toran's information. Any large gathering of trolls near the border would be easy enough to smell. If Tōran proved to be correct, then he might even listen to her second piece of business with him. Sesshōmaru did feel some curiosity tugging at him but suppressed the desire to ask Tōran, lest she become even smugger. Whatever she wanted would reveal itself in due course. For now, she was going to have to hold onto the secret, which she seemed so eager to keep. The Demon Dog Lord did not indulge in feline games far beneath his station.

They had walked for some time and traveled many miles in the harsh winter climate. Neither Tōran nor Sesshōmaru seemed bothered by the inclement weather but the little imp, Jaken, shivered as he followed behind. Neither of the two powerful demons spoke to each other. One was contemplating his next move while the other was trying to get his attention by any means she had. On the few successful occasions which she gained it, Tōran would immediately pretend to be entirely uninterested by looking in every direction but Sesshōmaru' and then smiling triumphantly at his frown.

There was a tall hill in his land from which the wind would blow from every direction. From there, Sesshōmaru knew that he could survey what was currently amassing to the north without having to travel all the way to his northern border. The first scouts were probably entering his domain right now but that was unavoidable. And might even be to his benefit since there wasn't any standing army for then to find and track. Yet. By the spring thaw, when the main host descended upon them from the month, Sesshōmaru intended to meet the trolls with his own force of demon warriors.

Sesshōmaru ascended the hill, beginning to breathe more heavily from the extra effort needed. His breath came out in short, steady puffs as Jaken tried to follow. Light-footed Tōran skipped beside Sesshōmaru, silently boasting of her immunity to cold, egging him to say something. The male demon tensed, straightening his back and turning his head from side to side slowly. There was definitely the stench of trolls in the winds coming from the north and that was all the confirmation Sesshōmaru required.

The scent of rotting earth was foul upon the air, despite the sharp coldness. It was the winds, which brought the scents and just as quickly whisked it away, replacing it with the smell of a hearth fire. "Is there an air demon living in your realm? I can command the air and wind around me but I would swear something or someone else is manipulating it here," Tōran muttered to Sesshōmaru.

He almost said, "There was," but checked himself. She did not need to know. Sesshōmaru turned his attention to the future.

"Jaken," he commanded the little imp, "Take A-Un and find that boy, Kohaku. I am recalling him to my service for this war. He may be a human mercenary but the boy has his uses. He will tell Tōtōsai and from him, word will spread." Rōyakan would hear of it from Tōtōsai and so demons seeking his favor would gather.

"As you command, O great Lord Sesshōmaru! But what will you do?" Jaken bowed obediently, planting his face into the snow.

"I will see to Rin's safety. Go now," and with that Jaken scrambled down onto A-Un's back and the dragon took to the skies.

"Who's Rin? Your daughter?" Tōran asked inquisitively. "I didn't know you had mated already!" she continued, teasing him and following him even as Sesshōmaru took flight. His only response was to deepen his frown. She really was an irksome woman. Much like another long past.

"How can your thing be poison? You're just as good as being cold as I am! Or maybe you just need a real woman to warm you up?" The teasing and the playful jabs wore on Sesshōmaru's patience. But it would not do to greet Rin with another demon's blood on his hands. Inuyasha and his motley companions were hardly be receptive of him in the first place, possibly less so if he appeared with Tōran. That led Sesshōmaru to wonder about the other "trivial" matter the irksome woman had with him.

It was probably something stupid like marrying one of her sisters to form a marriage alliance. Unless they were significantly more powerful than previously, Sesshōmaru found them too weak to be even worth considering. One played with fire so much she didn't seem to have much feminine grace while the other was so dainty that her best tricks were to simply use illusions to baffle her opponents while her underlings killed them.

In any event, any union between a canine and feline demon was unimaginable. What would their offspring be?

"Oh! So this is the human village Karan visited!"

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Chapter Notes: All I can say is that I wish I had a better picture of Sesshomaru's mother. Many edits have been to make the chapter flow more smoothly. I am unsure if Jaken needs to be more sycophantic.


	3. Fetching Rin

All characters, unless stated as original creations or additions, belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media and Shogakukan. Blame them. I'm just taking their characters' concepts to a different place. Also, feedback would be appreciated. Writers do not improve without criticism and suggestions from their audience. I am not certain about the _romaji_ from Rin's song so I apologize if there are errors in the lyrics.

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 _Yama no naka_

 _Mori no naka_

 _Kaze no naka_

 _Yume no naka_

 _Sesshōmaru-sama doko niiru_

 _Jaken-sama oshitanaite_

 _Watashi wa hitorite machimashou_

 _Sesshōmaru-sama omoutorio_

Rin hummed the old tune to herself as she roasted a potato on a stick in Kaede-baa's hut. Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango and their children were all enjoying the old priestess' hospitality on this cold night. Kirara was napping in a corner of the hut.

"Rin-neesan," one of Sango's twin daughters called out to her, "What song is that? Does it have words?" Rin smiled at the question.

"It's a song I made up years ago, before you were born. It has words but only I know them. It's about…" Rin paused in her explanation, realizing everyone else in the hut had stopped their conversation to listen to her. She blushed with embarrassment.

"Who is it about?" Now both of Sango's daughters pressed Rin for details.

"There's only person it could be about," Inuyasha declared loudly as Sango and Miroku nodded gravely. Kagome just laughed politely. Suddenly, he stood and sniffed the air. "Speak of the devil…"

"Who is it about?" the two little girls asked again, even louder.

"Sesshōmaru-sama!" Rin cried, jumping to her feet. "Are you here to roast potatoes too?" He stood in the doorway as Inuyasha barred him further entry.

All of the adults had gotten to their feet, most of them unsure about what the demon's presence meant. Kirara had woken up and had transformed to her full size, growling at the new arrival. For his part, Sesshōmaru didn't acknowledge their presence or even the low level of hostility emanating from Inuyasha. " _Onii-san_ , you should have sent word that you were coming to visit," Kagome said.

Now Sesshōmaru acknowledged Kagome's presence by glaring at her. "Rin, we are leaving. This village is no longer safe," he said to Rin. The girl looked around for a moment, unsure what was going on, before hopping to Sesshōmaru's side. A new figure entered the hut, causing greater alarm to its occupants.

"Rin is a human girl?" Tōran asked, bending down to look at the twelve-year-old girl. "A bit young for a mate, don't you think?" The adult occupants of the hut were dumbfounded. Inuyasha's nose had not even given them any warning. How often do two _daiyōkai,_ rulers of demonic realms in their own right, walk into an aging human priestess' hut? Inuyasha was the first to recover his senses from the shock of seeing Tōran casually walk inside the hut.

"What d'ya mean the village isn't safe? Ya sayin' I can't protect her? 'Sides she doesn't have to leave if she doesn't want to. You agreed to that yourself!" Inuyasha shouted at Sesshōmaru's face.

" _Onii-san_. What's going on? Why do you want to take Rin away so suddenly?" Again, Sesshōmaru glared at Kagome while ignoring Inuyasha. Kagome was glancing between the two _daiyōkai_ and wondering how and why a Demon Dog and a Panther would even tolerate each other's presence. It was her first inkling that something far more dire than their centuries-old rivalry was looming.

"Rin is my vassal and I am recalling her to my side. There is nothing else to it. A mongrel like Inuyasha cannot protect himself, let alone this village, from the coming storm from the north. Let's go, Rin." Sesshōmaru's haughty aloofness obviously irked his younger half-brother who pushed himself between Rin and Sesshōmaru.

"She doesn't have to go anywhere if she doesn't want to!" he snarled loudly, repeating himself. His hand was on Tessaiga's hilt, ready to draw the blade.

"Inuyasha! _Osuwari_!" and the half-demon crashed into the floor.

"Sesshōmaru, this is my home, humble as it is. Your overlordship applies to demons, perhaps even half demons, but not to humans. You have left Rin in my care and I must insist on a clearer reason for her departure than a storm from the north. There is already a snowstorm outside." It was the first time Kaede had spoken to Sesshōmaru in such manner and her audacity was rewarded with a glare.

"Oi, oi. If you keep glaring at everyone, I've heard it'll become permanent. Also, do you really allow humans, even if they're your sister-in-law, and your half-brother to just say whatever to you without punishment? What kind of Dog Demon Lord are you?" Tōran teased, loving every moment of this. More, she delighted in the fact that Sesshōmaru could not deny the fact that he had some distant familial relation to a human now.

Once more with infinite vigor, Inuyasha bounced back to his feet, ready to draw Tessaiga, taking exception now to Tōran's presence. "And what are you doing here?" he demanded, "You here for another fight?"

"Inuyasha! _Osuwari_!" and the half-demon crashed into the floor once more. This time, Kagome placed a foot on his back. "Stay there and be quiet."

" _Hai_ …" he acquiesced finally, accepting defeat.

"Woah, tamed by a human. Is this a family thing? Am I going to hear that you've been domesticated by this little girl as well?" Tōran leaned forward and pointed at Rin who now stood beside Sesshōmaru.

"I am Sesshōmaru-sama's trusted vassal! Are you Sesshōmaru-sama's new consort to speak to him so?" Rin asked her in return, crossing her arms.

"Oh, she has moxie. I like her more now," the Panther demon laughed, preening at the attention.

"Sesshōmaru, what exactly is descending from the north?" Kaede demanded.

"War," was all the Demon Dog Lord cared to elaborate on the subject before leaving. Rin trotted behind him, humming again, and waving to the others.

Tōran paused for a minute, frowning at Inuyasha. "I asked you pass him my message. Clearly you forgot." Then she left as well.

Kagome, Miroku, and Inuyasha rushed out the hut and saw the two demon lords rising into the air. "They're going somewhere! I say we follow them and get them to tell us more!" Inuyasha declared boldly.

"I agree. Though wherever they are going, you will need to fly there." Kaede said this as she followed them out. Already the demons were fading in the blizzard outside.

"Take Kirara! I'll stay here!" Sango said from inside the hut. Unlike the others who had moved to confront the demons, she had retreated to protect her children. Kirara had stood by her side. When she heard her name, Kirara raced out and waited for whoever to get on. They quickly decided that Miroku would also stay behind so that Kagome and Inuyasha would be able chase after the two _daiyōkai_. Inuyasha ran to their own home to fetch Kagome's bow and a quiver of arrows before they set off in pursuit.

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Chapter Notes: I am not happy using the show's main characters. I feel like I didn't do them justice. BUT it was fun to keep throwing "Onii-san" around while Toran was listening. Is it wrong for a guy to be so tickled? Next chapter will be longer and more, FAR more interesting.


	4. Castle In The Sky

All characters, unless stated as original creations or additions, belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media and Shogakukan. Blame them. I'm just taking their characters' concepts to a different place. Also, feedback would be appreciated.

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"Your brother was understating things when he said you two didn't get along. I'm surprised you haven't killed him. Maybe … you secretly care about him!" Tōran wasn't really talking to Sesshōmaru in particular since the Demon Dog Lord had fallen back into his "Ignore Tōran until she shuts up" mood. She was trying to see how the human girl holding onto Sesshōmaru's _mokomoko-sama_ fit into the picture. Rin was humming along as if this was perfectly normal for a teenaged human girl. When she heard Tōran's words and the mocking tone, Rin leapt to her master's defense.

"Sesshōmaru-sama is very kind! Even to those he doesn't like! It would take more than Inuyasha being rude to make Sesshōmaru-sama kill him!"

"How ironic. They say man's best friend is a dog. But this dog's best friend is a girl," Tōran's teasing continued.

"It is a vassal's duty to protect her lord's honor from … from…" Rin struggled to find the word she was looking for. Her studies in language were still incomplete.

"Enough, Rin. She is only trying to get your attention, in the same way all felines do," Sesshōmaru said, turning his head to speak to Rin. She deflated visibly and pouted. Tōran just laughed as if it was all a grand joke.

It did not take them long to reach the clouds and Tōran spoke again.

"You know your brother and … _sister-in-law_ are following us." Sesshōmaru remained silent. There wasn't a question in the Panther's statement. She was just trying to get a rise out of him for using that term. Tōran's terminology wasn't as irksome as the what the human girl, Kagome, used but it still grated with Sesshōmaru that he had to formally acknowledge some tie, even if by marriage, to her. He wondered how he would explain such circumstances.

Inuyasha would always interfere. Of that fact, Sesshōmaru had no doubt. He felt that everything was his business if it involved fighting. Therefore, there was no point in trying to stop him. Not until he ran into a barrier which he could not force his way past.

As they broke through the clouds into the moonlit sky, a giant castle loomed large. It sat tall upon the clouds, lit by torches that did not flicker in spite of the snowy winds. Rin's face lit up with recognition and she tried waving to see if any of the distant figures waved back. In the very center, a _tenshu_ rose above the three tiers of walls and secondary keeps. Guard towers rose from the walls at regular intervals, offering clear lines of sight to its occupants. They landed at one of the large gates and the winds, which had buffeted them in flight, suddenly ceased.

"Impressive. The magic used is ancient and complex. Too bad it smells of dog…" Tōran commented drily. Above them, a sentry challenged their arrival, recognizing who the newcomers were.

"Sesshōmaru-dono, we cannot allow you to enter with …"

"You will permit the Panther and three following us entry. The hanyō is my half-brother and the girl is … useful. There will be fewer deaths if you let them in and escort them to me," Sesshōmaru interrupted the guard.

"Y-yes, my lord! We will open the gates now." No sooner had the head guard said that when the sturdy iron gates swung open to admit them.

Tōran whistled her appreciation. "Just like a dog. Obedient to its master!" she teased both Sesshōmaru and the guard.

Rin let go of Sesshōmaru's _mokomoko-sama_ and looked up at him. Sesshōmaru stepped forward and led them into the castle. Rin and Tōran followed Sesshōmaru through the castle, winding through the courtyards and guard posts to the main keep. Tōran continued to make comments but neither Rin nor Sesshōmaru replied. Sesshōmaru chose a deliberately convoluted route so Tōran would not know the most direct path to the main keep. Each guard they passed straightened and stood on edge as the Panther passed them by, smiling innocently at them as though she were mistress of the castle.

"We're visiting your mother to make sure she's safe?" Rin asked with concern etched on her face.

Sesshōmaru scowled as he heard Tōran's ears prick up and the inevitable heckling form in the impossibly devious feline mind. "We're visiting your mother? Why, I didn't think we were so far along that introductions were called for! Of course, I've met your father and didn't like him. I suppose you could say the same about mine, come to think of it."

"Nor did I," came a new speaker. The lady of the castle descended the stairs from her throne room to meet them, flanked by two well-armed guards behind her. "I suppose there's a reason for bringing a cat to my home, Sesshōmaru?"

"She has business with us. As, apparently, do they," her son replied.

"Three guests of Lord Sesshōmaru. One claims to be the bearer of Tessaiga," a guard called from behind as Inuyasha, Kagome and Kirara were led to the same staircase. Inuyasha was snarling at the guards, who ignored him.

"I will never understand your family's fascination with humans. Foxes, Panthers, and humans. This castle is not a menagerie, Sesshōmaru. We do not simply let _anyone_ enter who claims to have a demand on our attention. Stay there, however. I wish to ascertain two things." His mother seemed to glide down the stairs and was standing before Inuyasha and Kagome in an instant. He recognized her scent but also caught traces of another, older yet familiar scent. Before the half-demon could react, she had drawn Tessaiga out of its scabbard and held it in her own hands.

It was neither the giant fang nor the decrepit blade that Inuyasha expected. The Inu no Kimi held a perfect, gleaming sword in her hands and a smile seemed to show on her face. "Still as charming as ever. Unlike your sons," she said, sliding the blade back into the scabbard just as quickly.

"Who are you?" Inuyasha asked, amazed that a demon could draw Tessaiga without harm.

"Really? Did my son simply invite you in without telling you whose castle you were entering? And you were foolish enough to enter? Well, I shan't reward stupidity. Come, Sesshōmaru. We will discuss this where I am more comfortable. Strange though…" she paused. In a swift movement, the Inu no Kimi tugged on both of Inuyasha's ears as hard as she could. "I did not think you would have such … odd ears. These are not his ears and oh, how I warned him nothing good would come of such a dalliance! Oh, what a pity that none of his sons inherited his masculine charms…" She let go of him and turned her back on Inuyasha, ascending the stairs.

"I see where you get your congenial attitude and good looks from," Tōran snickered as Sesshōmaru followed his mother.

"That's his mother?" Kagome blurted out.

"Wait! Sesshōmaru has a mother?" Inuyasha asked incredulously.

"Yes, he does. Unlike yours, I do not intend to die before _my_ son is unprepared for his legacy," the Inu no Kimi asked without turning back. The half-demon growled when Rin cut him off.

"Inuyasha, you have a big heart and a big sword. But your brain is not very big, is it? The last thing you want to do is to insult the one demon who knew your father most intimately," she said pointedly. Inuyasha scowled but kept silent.

"Rin's right," Kagome whispered to him. "You can try to ask her about your father. Just… do it politely. Very politely."

"I see why you keep the girl," Tōran said, floating up the stairs besides Sesshōmaru. He glanced at her without replying, asking if she had a point.

Rin, Kagome, Kirara and Inuyasha followed them to the large, open throne room where the Inu no Kimi lounged on a long cushioned divan, her furry _mokomoko-sama_ hanging loosely over the sides and around her. "So, Sesshōmaru, what have you come to tell me?"

"The trolls are getting restless. I intend to gather what forces I can and destroy them before they can invade. But not all of my subordinates will accompany me. This one," he placed his hand on Rin's head, "needs somewhere to stay." Rin giggled at the touch of Sesshōmaru-sama's hand in her hair.

"And I dare say," added his mother with a bored expression, twirling a lock of hair around her finger, "you thought that since I already had experienced caring for a child, I would be the safest choice. Especially since our entire clan lives here. Are you planning to take any of our warriors with you then?"

"I am not lord of this castle nor its occupants," Sesshōmaru said evasively.

The Inu no Kimi straightened slightly, letting go of her hair. "Only because you choose not to take up the responsibilities. You have already inherited your father's title. Accept the fact that _your_ subjects wish for a lord whom they can serve." A hardness entered her voice, stern as tempered steel yet cool and biting as the winter gale. "You have surpassed your father in ability. Yet you continue to wander and leaving me to do the boring work of leading our clan. But I am not surprised by any of this."

Tōran's brow furrowed at the last comment but she kept silent. "Oh? The cat knows how to hold her tongue. My dearest defeated the Northern Trolls at the time of Sesshōmaru's birth, at great cost to our kingdom. But we both knew they would return. Your father," the Inu no Kimi now turned to speak to Tōran, "convinced them that he would launch an invasion to distract my dearest and once defeated, the lands would be split. As you can see, events did not transpire as planned. So now, they believe to have sufficiently overwhelming force and intend a grand conquest. I would not be surprised to hear they approached you for support. What I am curious to know, however, is why you are here."

Now Tōran chuckled as if her host's icy hostility was a mild-mannered jest. "I came to offer my tribe's warriors and support for your war effort. In return, I want just one thing."

The Inu no Kimi raised a questioning eyebrow but kept silent. Tōran purred in anticipation.

"I want Sesshōmaru as my mate."

* * *

Author's Notes:

1) Apologies for the delay. The muse was very unclear for this chapter. Many possibilities arose as I worked on it and I wonder if I chose the best one. Perhaps I'll do a series of one-shots depicting all the hilarious ideas I had for a meeting between the Inu no Kimi and Inuyasha.

2) I am still horribly uncomfortable using Kagome & Inuyasha.

3) Please give me feedback.

4) I want to make it clear that this is not a romance story. There may be elements of it but it is not the central feature. The action, intrigue and machinations of the various characters is what I am aiming for.

5) The theme for the entire work is the same as the title. Threats to "peace," be it Sesshōmaru's relatively-carefree wanderings in search of powerful opponents, Inuyasha & Kagome's married life, Rin's childhood, a potential three-way conflict between powerful demon clans with minor ones (hint hint) caught up in the mix. You know - something a bit more reflective of the actual chaos caused by a period of prolonged on-off conflicts. And no, I have never read nor really watched Game of Thrones and this is not a homage, tribute or imitation.

6) I wish I had a name for Sesshōmaru's mother. To stay true to the source material, I don't intend to make one up.


	5. Kohaku

All characters, unless stated as original creations or additions, belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media and Shogakukan. Blame them. I'm just taking their characters' concepts to a different place. Also, feedback would be appreciated.

* * *

How was Lord Sesshōmaru doing? Had he managed to get Rin to safety or had the Pantheress turned against him? Was she now standing atop his lord's corpse, laughing triumphantly and surrounded by her loyal warriors? No! No, no, no!

Jaken drove such thoughts from his mind once more. Lord Sesshōmaru could never be defeated by Tōran. In every contest, he had either beaten her or fought her to a draw. The master of Bakusaiga would always be victorious!

But what if Lord Sesshōmaru also had to face a Troll of comparable power? Could he match himself against two such demons? And perhaps their underlings as well?

It had been hours since the imp had left his lord's side and not a single moment of peace had he known. First he had worried over where they would marshal enough demonic warriors to face a large and powerful clan like the Northern Trolls. As far as he knew, the Demon Dog clan's warriors were few in number, which was why they were never seen outside the clan's stronghold. Sesshōmaru's father, the first Inu no Taisho, had carved a demonic realm around the Demon Dog clan's small holding and made it safe through his own immense power. Jaken had witnessed it often enough after pledging himself to the son. But in those rare instances when an army was needed, Sesshōmaru's father would always assemble a host of warriors from his realm's demonic vassals. The result was always different. Sometimes, many powerful demons would answer the summons. At other times, few would show and the army raised would be a large but weak force. It was always in contrast to the surrounding polities.

Each clan surrounding their territory was large enough to boast its own army numbering in the thousands. So they would always field large, homogenous armies while the army of the Demon Dog Lord would always be a mixed force. But Jaken had consoled himself that such unpredictability had always worked for Sesshōmaru's father. Until he recalled how just such an army, lacking powerful captains, had almost lost the field to the second Panther invasion. But if Jaken's travels with Lord Sesshōmaru had taught him anything, it was that many powerful demons lived in the realm now and some would surely answer the call to arms.

That was how he had fallen in to his latest anxiety. Lord Sesshōmaru may be unbeatable on a battlefield but he was woefully unprepared to stop an assassination attempt.

A-Un, the two headed dragon upon which the imp rode, turned itself upside down and suddenly Jaken's thoughts were not far away. They were very clearly focused on the immediate problem of his increasing closeness to the trees. He cursed the dragon which simply hovered above, watching. "You traitor!" Jaken yelled loudly.

Just as suddenly, a hand snatched Jaken out of the air. "Oh, Jaken-sama. What are you doing here?" Kohaku asked, holding up the little imp, whose short limbs were flailing as though he was still in freefall.

"Eh? Kohaku? But I didn't see you," Jaken replied, still shocked by the experience.

"I waved to A-Un, who saw me. He dropped you right after that so I could catch you," the teenaged human boy replied, pointing at the descending dragon now.

"He could have just landed!" Jaken declared as Kohaku set him down onto the ground. Kohaku laughed uncomfortably before replying.

"I think he wanted you to clear your mind?"

"Blasted dragon!" Jaken cursed again as A-Un landed on the ground and ignored the imp. The demon did not communicate much and never to Jaken. It only obeyed Lord Sesshōmaru and Rin. Jaken wasn't even sure what Lord Sesshōmaru had done in the past to earn the dragon's loyalty.

"So what brings you out here, Jaken-sama?" Kohaku asked, handing the _nintojo_ over to Jaken.

Jaken straightened himself up and shot one last angry glare at the two-headed dragon, which looked at him inquisitively. Then he puffed himself up and said imperiously, "Lord Sesshōmaru has sent me here to recall you to his service. The Northern Troll demons will be invading soon and Lord Sesshōmaru wants you to fight against his enemies."

Kohaku's eyes rose with astonishment. "I-I am honored that Sesshōmaru-sama remembers me and considers my skills worth being used against his enemies. But I am just one demon hunter. And there is the matter of payment."

"Payment? How dare you ask for payment from Lord Sesshōmaru after all the kindness he showed you!" Jaken screeched until a gust of wind bowled him over.

"Please understand, Jaken-sama," Kohaku tried not to laugh at the ill-timed gust, "I cannot work for free and Sesshōmaru-sama knows this. As a demon hunter, I work on commission. But we can discuss my fee later. I will join this fight but first, I need to collect something from Tōtōsai -sama. You should come along."

"Please tell me you're joking!" the elderly swordsmith declared when Jaken had explained why he was with Kohaku. The two visitors looked at each other with some confusion.

"No. Lord Sesshōmaru is convinced they have already infiltrated his lands with scouts," Jaken insisted tartly.

"Are they that difficult an enemy?" Kohaku asked.

"Oh this is terrible. I told him they'd be back! Trolls! Hmm… Individually, no, they're generally big, strong dumb brutes. But they make babies so often that they're bigger than every demon clan in this realm. And the ones who are smart and powerful find they can wield powers too. What does Sesshōmaru plan to do? His father's plan was to simply throw an army of demons at the trolls while he charged their chief. Almost didn't work too."

Jaken hesitated. That was exactly Lord Sesshōmaru's plan as far as he knew. His silence was answer enough for the swordsmith.

"I thought as much. His father was a poor general and a terrible administrator so he's going to have to find better role models. Have you at least warned the rest of the clan?" Tōtōsai asked.

"Um… I believe Lord Sesshōmaru is doing that currently," Jaken said without much certainty. He simply assumed that was where his liege would keep Rin.

"Good because I can't go there anymore. That old girl banned me from entering years ago," Tōtōsai explained, waving his clenched fist at the sky. "A fire hazard! Me!"

"But you were her husband's friend!" Kohaku said, surprised by that revelation. He had assumed the power wielded by Sesshōmaru's mother was simply what she had inherited from her deceased husband.

"Nonsense! They were never married. They only agreed to a relationship to produce an heir who would inherit both realms. This land," Tōtōsai swept his hand out, "was conquered by Tōga-o when he was a wandering demon, exiled from his own clan. He used his immense power to proclaim his overlordship. The castle belongs to the Demon Dog clan and its rightful ruler is the brat's mother. She's the daughter of its previous lord. Sesshōmaru, when he actually takes up the responsibility, will rule over a combined empire inherited from both of his parents."

Jaken, who had spent years at his liege's side, had never known any of this. Truly there were depths to Lord Sesshōmaru which he had never known. But it also explained one thing to him. His lord was so intent on proving his own strength and carving his own empire because he was already bound to inherit so much from his parents. He needed to prove that he, Sesshōmaru, was capable of just as much as his father.

In the fight against Naraku, Jaken felt Lord Sesshōmaru had come into his own as the most powerful fighter. None had been able to defeat him since he had laid claim to Bakusaiga. But now that Tōtōsai said so, Lord Sesshōmaru had never displayed any other qualities of a ruler. He had not commanded troops in the field nor had he governed a large body of vassals. Even during the second Panther invasion, Sesshōmaru had left his army to duel with Tōran.

"Oh yes, Kohaku. That reminds me. Catch," Tōtōsai dug around his workshop before finding a long package wrapped in leather and throwing it the teenaged human. "Your sword."

* * *

Author's notes:

1) I am getting very annoyed by the "ō" in every other name. But it looks better as "Tōran" than "Touran."

2) I am not using any real system for honorifics. I'll try to keep it consistent with the show but I doubt it'll be perfectly accurate. Also, I think Jaken is probably the only who won't be using honorifics. It seems to add to his sycophantic nature to say "Lord Sesshōmaru" in place of "Sesshōmaru-sama."

3) Tōga (or Tōga-o, if we're using his honorific) is the unofficial name for the Inu no Taisho if the wiki is to be believed. Now we just need an unofficial name for the mother and things will be so much easier.

4) Made a chapter about Jaken and Kohaku since it felt better to break up the scene with this. Plus, I think it was a better way to explain how I perceive the relationship between Sesshōmaru's parents.

5) Happy New Year


	6. Hospitality

All characters, unless stated as original creations or additions, belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media and Shogakukan. Blame them. I'm just taking their characters' concepts to a different place. Also, feedback would be appreciated.

* * *

Tōran loved the attention. The shock on the bastard and his wife's faces, the guards' gaping mouths, Sesshōmaru's dispassionate glance, the mother's arched brow, and even the little human girl's squeal of delight added to the Panther demoness' swelling joy. It was in her feline nature to want and crave attention, especially from those who tried not to pay attention. However, she had a feeling that something wasn't connecting. Was the mother merely a regent for her son? That made no sense if Sesshōmaru's father was lord of the clan. He would surely have brought Demon Dog warriors to the first invasion, just as Sesshōmaru planned to do.

"Congratulations, Sesshōmaru-sama!" Rin cried out.

Before she could go much farther with the thought, Tōran caught sight of the two dogs' locked eyes. Something unsaid was passing between them when Sesshōmaru looked down, as if in defeat. If his mother was such a terrifying demon, why had she not taken the field? Why had no dogs besides the Inu no Taisho and his son fought the Panthers?

"I chose the Path of Supreme Conquest. I am not interested in domestic affairs," Sesshōmaru said defiantly.

"And you think warriors will follow a lord who cannot provide provisions? That food will be magically provided to you? You are not some grand conquering hero. That was your father. He carved out the realm for you and used it to gain my father's agreement. Do not be so blind to think that your father was infallible, Sesshōmaru. He had no grasp of strategy or tactics. Our warriors would never follow a lord who abandons them to fight the enemy's general. That is why you learned to fight from him and you were supposed to learn how to lead our clan from me. Instead, you chose to run off and follow him to battles. If you want anything from me or the rest of the clan, you will assume your full responsibilities to us." Rin shrank from the Inu no Kimi's fierce words. Tōran, however, began to understand more. Still, the sudden shift of attention away from her was irksome. She needed to regain the limelight.

"So… everything below belonged to his father. Everything up here belongs to you. This guy," she pointed at Sesshōmaru, whose eye twitched with his annoyance at such a casual referral, "inherits both titles and a combined realm. But he's just an idiot who loves to fight, has not much experience leading troops, and no administrative skill whatsoever," she said matter-of-factly.

The Inu no Kimi looked at Tōran and replied, "That is correct. Do you wish to withdraw your mating request?"

Tōran knew her own abilities. She had been her tribe's leader for two and a half centuries, learning those skills from making mistakes and listening to others. She had experience that the much-vaunted Sesshōmaru, Demon Dog Lord of the West, lacked. Thoughts of tutoring him in those lessons as they ruled joint realms and waged war together filled Tōran's imagination. "On the contrary. I want him even more. Imagine how delicious it would be to boast, 'I taught the great Sesshōmaru how to lead troops and manage his domain!'" Tōran declared.

She barely heard the half-breed brother mutter, "He'd have to be a masochist to accept those terms."

Silence hung around them as every pair of eyes focused on Sesshōmaru and Tōran. The scowl on his face held equal parts contempt and fury directed at her. Their eyes locked on each other, his deepening scowl against her predatory grin. For a moment, Tōran thought she saw hesitation and doubt behind the anger in his eyes. It surprised her to see that, creating more questions which bubbled in the back of her consciousness. As fleeting as that glimpse was, the momentary wavering was replaced by the swift, decisive manner which she knew so well. Whatever his internal struggle, Tōran guessed that Sesshōmaru had overcome it.

"We will discuss the terms of the Panther Tribe's leader tomorrow. Prepare three beds and meals for tonight. Make sure two of them are suitable for humans. When the rooms are ready, escort our visitors to their rooms. You," Sesshōmaru pointed to one of the guards in the room, "Inform the captains of the guard to report to me in one hour. If I am lord of this castle, then I will need to know every detail about it!"

The demon guards straightened and raced off with their excitement barely contained. They had witnessed the historic rise of Sesshōmaru to his rightful overlordship and were the chosen heralds of their lord's ascension. As they passed, Tōran saw that they were grinning from ear to ear, fangs bared as if they were about to be called for a hunt. That told Tōran something very important. Even though they had rarely ventured out, the Demon Dog Clan's soldiery were aggressive by nature. It was their discipline and self-control which reined them in.

"There's five of us, _Onii-san_ ," the human girl named Kagome protested as she counted the beds and meals which Sesshōmaru ordered for them. Further comments trailed off when Kagome saw the face which Sesshōmaru's mother made at the way she addressed the Demon Dog lord.

"Sesshōmaru," his mother called out haughtily, "please correct me if I am wrong but am l to understand that my beloved's second son has married this human girl?"

Tōran took delight in the sudden setting of Sesshōmaru's jaw. "That is so," he replied dismissively. "There is no point in dwelling on that branch of the line."

"And whaddya mean by that, huh?" the mongrel Inuyasha bellowed, hand going to Tessaiga's hilt.

"Only that neither you nor your children have a claim upon the succession. Your ignorance is becoming tedious, Inuyasha. I knew you were not really part of the Demon Dog Clan when I tried to kill you but I didn't realize you are completely ignorant," Tōran interrupted harshly. She was irked by how blur the mongrel was on matters which she had assumed he knew of but didn't participate in.

"Oh how I warned him that the human woman would never be able to properly educate his child! How could a girl ignorant of my dear beloved's name impart his legacy to his son?" the Inu no Kimi moaned dramatically.

Tōran noted how Sesshōmaru's left eyebrow crept up ever so slightly, questioning whether his mother had actually given such warning. For all their differences, the Panther demoness actually felt like she could get along with her in-law to-be. Whether the reverse was true was left to be seen.

* * *

Inuyasha scowled at the single tray of food in the room he and Kagome had been marched to. There was no other word. Four heavily armed guards had politely but firmly told them to stay in the room. There was only a single mattress, big enough for one. Worse, they had also been given a single blanket.

In frustration, Inuyasha turned slid the door open to complain. In the hallway, four guards stood passively. The closest turned to see what was the matter. "We need another mattress and blanket! There are two people in this room!" he shouted angrily.

"It is the Lady Mother's policy that any wedded couple must share a single portion of everything. Sesshōmaru-dono gave orders to that effect," the demon said, keeping his gaze on Inuyasha. He did not look down or demur in any respect. The half-brother of Sesshōmaru was a _tolerated_ guest, not an honored one.

Kagome poked her head out now. "What is the reason behind that policy?"

"The Lady Mother believes that a wedded couple's true test lies in how much they are willing to sacrifice for the other. It mirrors her relationship with our departed lord," the guard replied.

Inuyasha seemed about to protest when Kagome grabbed his ear and dragged him back into room. "Thanks!" she called out to the guard, sliding the door shut.

"What's that about?" her husband asked.

"His mother tests lovers by making them have to decide how they will suffer together. On one hand, it's kind of romantic but it's also a bit cruel," Kagome said.

"I'll take half the food, you get the bed," Inuyasha said at once.

"You sure?" she replied, shocked at his selflessness.

"Like hell I'm gonna let her say I didn't take care of my woman!"

 _Oh. That was all…_ Kagome sighed to herself.

* * *

"Rin-sama," a pair of what looked like teenaged Demon Dog girls bowed as they led Rin to her room. Both of them looked older than her, almost adults. The girl to her right had short brown hair while the other had long black hair tied up in a ponytail. Rin bowed even lower nervously.

"Please don't worry. You are Sesshōmaru-dono's vassal like us. You _are_ one of us," one said. Rin walked cautiously into her room, pushing aside the sliding door. It was a luxurious room with a large mattress, many fluffy pillows and a large furry blanket made out of what looked like dog's fur. On three of the walls hung paintings, each of a different season. On the last wall was a window letting her see out.

"Welcome home!" both of the demon girls chanted gaily.

Home? Home. Home! She was home! Rin felt tears in her eyes. Then she spotted a bright orange and green kimono on the mattress. She began crying at the sight of her latest present from Sesshōmaru-sama.

The two demonesses ran up to her hastily, unsure what they had done wrong. "Rin-sama? Is the kimono not to your liking? I can make a new one tomorrow!" the girl with brown hair said.

"You've been making the kimonos for me?" Rin gasped.

"Sesshōmaru-dono said you lacked the proper clothing for a young woman…" the demoness replied uncertainly.

Rin jumped on both of them, hugging them tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she cried as tears streamed down. A Demon Dog guard walked over to see what was going on and then turned back to resume his post.

Complete strangers would do this for her! The two demon girls hugged her back, stroking her hair gently.

* * *

"Sesshōmaru-dono."

Five castle guards knelt on the castle floor before Sesshōmaru, heads bowed. Between them and Sesshōmaru was the speaker, a Dog demoness with the same long, flowing white hair marking her as a _daiyōkai_ in the clan. The others were all brown or black haired. The demoness held her sword out in both hands, presenting it to the Demon Dog Lord.

Sesshōmaru grasped the sword in his right hand wordlessly and raised it, as if to examine it. "Your sword, Tsukiyo. Take it," he said simply to her, reversing the blade towards the white-haired demoness. This formal ceremony was a waste of time but the demoness, Tsukiyo, had insisted upon it. It was important to all of them, starting their service to Sesshōmaru by pledging themselves to him. "I will need your sword arms in the coming days."

"Sire!" she exclaimed proudly, rising to her feet gracefully and clutching the hilt of her straight, double-edged sword. In a single fluid motion, she twirled the sword and slid it back into its scabbard. "We are yours to command!"

"Then we are done with formalities for tonight, Tsukiyo. I am pleased to see that my Captain of the Guard has ascended to become a _daiyōkai_. You have grown stronger. Now we will need to plan for war. All of you will join me now," Sesshōmaru declared imperiously and turned to walk towards Tōran and his mother, who had watched the ceremony in silence. They had gone to a different room in the castle, where his father had once planned his own campaign against the Northern Trolls.

In the center was a large table with a hand drawn map of the land. Tōran leaned against the wall, happy to watch and listen for the moment. She also wanted time to study the fourth Dog _daiyōkai_ she had met.

Sesshōmaru glanced at Tsukiyo, studying her features. She had aged slightly, her once angular face had rounded out to present a softer exterior. When he had last seen her, the younger demoness had short black hair. Now she wore the mark of her greater demonhood in graceful curls running down her back. Then he turned his attention to his mother, who stood, gazing silently at him. He read the message in her eyes and frowned slightly in her direction in acknowledgement. He would not play her game.

"The Northern Trolls will have infiltrated with scouts. We will find them and eliminate them. Tsukiyo, choose suitable hunters for this task. Then choose the three companies which will stay behind to guard our clan."

Tsukiyo nodded but made to speak. "Sesshōmaru-dono, I mean no disrespect to any of us but three companies of our clan's warriors are not enough to defeat the Northern Trolls, who will field thousands to our hundreds."

"That is so. Jaken will be spreading word and assembling a host of our warriors from the lands below. They may be an unorganized rabble but they will give us numbers. And if negotiations go well, we will be joined by the Panther Tribe's warriors. That will give us a second well-organized force," Sesshōmaru replied.

For the first time, Tsukiyo looked at Tōran and the two demonesses exchanged fractious glares. "Sesshōmaru-dono, if it is a question of …" Tsukiyo began when Sesshōmaru cut her off.

"It is not a matter of anything but political convenience. Your services in that regard are not necessary, Tsukiyo. I need your help to destroy this threat to our clan."

The Panther demoness kept silent still, restraining her gleeful giggles which threatened to burst out. The Dog demoness wanted Sesshōmaru for herself and Sesshōmaru knew and forbade it. He belonged to her, Tōran.

"You will need more," the Inu no Kimi spoke for the first time to the assembled commanders. "There is tribe of wolves living here," she pointed on the map to a range of mountains, "They live in caves and are not very sophisticated. But they are fierce and will serve your purpose. Your father called upon them once."

Wolves? Sesshōmaru's memories of Rin's mauled body rose instantly. Was it the same tribe? Were they led by that half-naked impertinent wolf he had met on the road some years ago? If those were the same wolves, then the word which came to his mind was "uncouth."

But if his mother was right, these wolves would have the same stake in this war. Their lands and lives were just as threatened as the Demon Dog Clan's own. "I will travel to speak to them at dawn. We will put off the negotiations until after this is done," he said the last to Tōran.

"As long as I get to go with you," she shrugged casually.

"And I too shall…" Tsukiyo started again when she was silenced by a look from her lord.

"No. You will organize the first hunting parties and our clan's preparations for war. Two _daiyōkai_ will be sufficient to deal with this tribe of wolves. You are the only one I can entrust such a task to, Tsukiyo."

The Dog demoness bowed, "It will be done, Sesshōmaru-dono," though her reluctance was obvious for all to hear.

"We are done for tonight. Tsukiyo, please show Tōran to the room prepared for her. And sort out your differences on the way."

Tsukiyo merely bowed again while Tōran's face broke into a mischievous grin. This night and Sesshōmaru's hospitality were really quite delightful.

* * *

Author's Notes:

1) Work is busy. I expect there to be one chapter a month.

2) Tsukiyo is an original character. Her name is from the Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo fountain pen ink, one of my favorite blue inks for fountain pens. I have removed the hyphen simply because it becomes too tedious. I am curious to know the reader's reaction to her.

3) I challenge you, dear reader, to guess who will be appearing in Ch 7. The first one to name the four characters who will be appearing will get to name one of the antagonists. I feel I need some active reader participation this time around.

4) I wonder how much I should develop Tsukiyo and her backstory. I certainly don't want her stealing Toran's well-deserved limelight. At the same time, I don't want to diminish her presence as the third daiyokai in this developing triumvirate.

5) I know Rin's scene is poorly crafted. I just wanted to make an acknowledgement that Rin's kimonos come from somewhere. And where would Sesshomaru get kimonos besides his own clan?


	7. Wolves

All characters, unless stated as original creations or additions, belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media and Shogakukan. Blame them. I'm just taking their characters' concepts to a different place. Also, feedback would be appreciated.

* * *

"Didja hear? Ayame-nee is sick this morning." A wolf demon with a mohawk said to his friend with upright hair.

"Seriously? I hope she's alright. It's a bad winter this year," the other replied, huddling up to the small fire they had lit at the entrance of the cave. Wolves from their clan gathered around the meager flame, trying to keep warm. Both of the demons wore thick bearskin fur coats to keep the cold out.

"Say, Ginta, do you smell something?" Hakkaku asked, getting to his feet. The wolves around them did likewise, sniffing the air.

Ginta rose, sniffing the frosty air blown in by the icy winds. He recognized the scents and his hairs stood on edge.

"Oi, Ginta! What's wrong? You cold?" Hakkaku asked, forgetting the strange scent and turning to face his friend, who had turned pale. "You sick?"

Ginta's pallor and stiffness had nothing to do with the cold nor sickness. It had everything to do with fear as the worst nightmares he could imagine silhouetted themselves against the cave entrance.

* * *

"I hope that boy of mine is diplomatic. Those wolves are pretty dense and stupid. That's why I warned him to be careful!" the Inu no Kimi commented as she watched her son's entrance.

Lady Tsukiyo, no matter how experienced she was, never could get used to her mistress' self-deception. But she was trained enough not to raise an eyebrow. The Lady Mother had said no such thing to her son before he and the Panther demoness had departed earlier. In fact, she had scolded him for making such a late start and commented how her dearly departed beloved mate would have already sent a herald to announce his coming.

Sesshōmaru-sama had waved away the idea that he needed a herald with the same disdain he waved a fly from his face. The Panther demoness had just strutted around, showing passing interest in the decorations around the castle. Her nonchalance and the attention which she received from Sesshōmaru-sama annoyed Tsukiyo more than she cared to admit.

"Sesshōmaru-sama knows how to handle them," observed the young human child seated beside the Lady Mother. Then there were the other guests, Tsukiyo sighed. Rin, the young human child, was amicable and pleasant enough for a human. And the small favors lavished upon her by the Lady Mother marked Rin as a special guest, unlike the bastard son and his mate, who were trailed by guards in the few areas of the castle they were allowed. Right now, Inuyasha and his woman were seated, more like confined Tsukiyo smiled, to the castle's inner courtyard. And right now, one company of the clan's warriors were using the ground to train.

* * *

"G-G-Ginta!"

"H-H-Hakkaku!"

"W-What do we do?" they asked each, backing up in abject terror.

"You could let us in," the Panther demoness said politely.

Sesshōmaru kept walking while the wolves kept retreating. "I have business with your leader. Move aside," he growled, his left hand dropping to Tenseiga's hilt. The familiar grip welcomed him but Sesshōmaru felt a slight uneasiness from the sword, a reproaching tingle that it was being used for such a vulgar intimidation.

Bakusaiga had never acted on its own the way Tenseiga did. That sword was an extension of himself so its sword-spirit agreed with him. But Tenseiga seemed to always have an elevated view of itself as a sword of healing. In Sesshōmaru's view, a sword was a weapon made to kill. Even Tenseiga could be deadly to the right opponents. In all other aspects, however, Tenseiga was the perfect sword to cut his way through a group of demons without killing them. And the sword had accepted that over the years. But it still chastised Sesshōmaru on occasion.

The wolves kept growling even as they retreated. "Y-You can't enter without the Boss' permission!" Ginta declared, planting his feet and taking a stand. With more bravado than bravery, he took an aggressive pose. "I am Ginta from Hell!"

"Slayer Hakkaku! None shall pass!" his friend stood by his side with the same empty bravado.

"Oi, Sesshōmaru. Now that we know their names, can I kill them? I vaguely recall that some wolves also interfered with us at our last encounter. They're standing in our way so they must want to die," Tōran whispered, slinking playfully along behind Sesshōmaru. Even as she spoke, Tōran looked at the two wolves with a malicious smirk. Her voice was loud enough for them to hear and all the wolves shrank back farther.

"Escort us now or make way," Sesshōmaru growled, not bothering to disguise his impatience.

"N-No. Y-You will w-wait here. I-I will g-go and see if the Boss will see you. H-Hakkaku, keep a-an eye on the-them." The obvious terror in Ginta's voice bored Sesshōmaru while his continued defiance tried his patience. He wanted to simply force his way in and confront this Boss. Such a course, however, was hardly diplomatic and possibly counter-productive. So he stayed silent and frowned expectantly at the wolf, who took that as an acceptance and ran off.

"Are we really going to just stand here?" Tōran's question was a whisper into Sesshōmaru's ear. Her warm breath tickled his cold-bitten ear though he tried not to show it. The demoness was being a trifle too intimate. But he would not allow her to see his chagrin. Instead, he gave a short snort in reply and took a step forwards. Tōran chuckled to herself and padded along gaily behind him.

"Hey!" Hakkaku protested as the two demons strode past him as though he and the wolves didn't exist. In fact, the half-growling, half-whining wolves continued to back off from the two _daiyōkai_. They were trying to bar their path but were too afraid to actually challenge them.

Sesshōmaru gave a glance towards Hakkaku, silently challenging him to try to stop him. The wolf demon took a step back and both _daiyōkai_ continued past him. They simply followed Ginta's scent of dirt-covered fur through the cave tunnel. If all the Wolf Tribe was as pathetic as this, they would only be useful as sacrificial pawns. Tōran's panthers would be a better choice to protect his army's flanks than these wolves. And that assumed the matter could be settled in one battle. The trolls' numbers meant that they could lose several battles and still present a dire challenge. Sesshōmaru, on the other hand, had no guarantee that he could assemble a scratch force that could wage an effective campaign involving multiple pitched battles.

Tōran was being awfully quiet now that Sesshōmaru considered it. That suited him just fine. If things turned out the way she was planning, there would be plenty of future occasions when he would be forced to listen and talk to the incessantly annoying demoness. Sesshōmaru conceded that as far as power and skill went, she was the only demoness worthy of being his equal. While her personality was somewhat grating, it was wiser to have her as a … partner than as a rival. The thought of being related to Tōran's siblings was slightly distasteful. Each was weak and had obvious weaknesses. Together, all four Panther Devas were formidable as each complemented the others while Tōran coordinated their actions with masterful precision. Individually, Sesshōmaru knew he could best any of them save for Tōran. Their weakness being related to him, even by marriage, was what galled him. Not, however, as bad as that thrice-damned human girl, Kagome Higurashi, who insisted on speaking to him in such an informal tone. Grudgingly, it also had to be conceded that his wretched _hanyō_ brother was stronger despite the pup's ignorance and over-reliance on Tessaiga.

"Say, do you think your brother and his mate can survive your mother? I have a feeling he's probably going to end up in a lot of trouble due to his ignorance." Tōran's question lacked any concern so Sesshōmaru assumed she was asking out of curiosity.

"If he dies, it just proves how weak he is. My mother does not suffer fools lightly. If he was more like Father…" Sesshōmaru stopped what he was saying. In temperament, he, Sesshōmaru, was nothing like his father. Father was sentimental, like Inuyasha. Both of them wanted to help the weak. All that he, Sesshōmaru, shared with his father was the desire to conquer. Beyond that, they had nothing in common. "He wouldn't rely on Father's Tessaiga." A pedantic argument. Sesshōmaru acknowledged the reason that was exactly why Tessaiga had been given to Inuyasha – to make up for the pup's own shortcomings as a demon. Yet it also emphasized Inuyasha's difference to him and other demons.

"Exactly! If you cannot take care of yourself, you're a pretty pathetic demon. Even a _hanyō_ like him would have to be pretty stupid to use his sword against your mother. It was hilarious how obedient the sword was to her touch!" That was true as well. Tessaiga was forged from Father's fang. It would never bare itself at Mother.

As Tōran finished her statement with a slight chuckle at Inuyasha's expense, the pair came to the end of the tunnel and onto a rocky ledge. A rough-hewn rock stairway led down to the vast inner cave. Many wooden thatched huts and burning communal fires were established below as wolf demons and regular wolves went about their daily morning routine. In the distance, a large waterfall provided fresh running water.

Sesshōmaru now understood why they had chosen this place as a home. The entrance tunnel was relatively easy to defend and barricade while the waterfall gave them an ample supply of fresh water. He also spied the wolf, Ginta, run into one of the larger huts by the waterfall.

"Not very well off, are they? Wearing furs, walking around barefoot. I don't see many armed warriors around either. Barely any armor on them too. Some knives and daggers, not many swords. No spears." Tōran looked at Sesshōmaru as they took flight towards the hut. By doing so, they dropped all pretense of stealth, propriety and diplomacy. The demons below rushed out to see what the two flying creatures, pointing and murmuring loudly. Fear. That was the first thing both _daiyōkai_ smelled in the air.

Her gaze questioned him, asking if he understood the point of her observations. "So they are individual fighters and not trained to fight cohesively," Sesshōmaru told her.

"Not just that," she chided him, "They don't make many weapons. They are unused to large pitched battles or coordinated leadership. You could make an impression that way. Alpha male and all that nonsense you dogs have. But are you sure that you want these mutts?"

"I do not need them to fight. If they cannot do that, then all I need is for them to die in place of demons who _can_ fight," Sesshōmaru replied coldly, glaring at the gawping wolf demons below. They were an insult to all canines. Particularly the familiar, lean and black-haired wolf demon who exited the hut. He would make an excellent example of Sesshōmaru's superiority.

"Oh very good!" Tōran teased before turning deadly serious, "You're learning." What Sesshōmaru was learning, he was not clear. However, he was not going to make the same mistakes of his past military exploits.

"Oi! You bastards!" the wolf demon shouted at them, waving a fist. Behind him, Ginta and a wolf demoness had come out. A vague recollection of their previous encounter came to Sesshōmaru but he made no reply to the insult.

"How unladylike!" Tōran scoffed, looking at Kōga, Chief of the Wolf Tribe. She had evidently confused him for a very flat-chested demoness due to his long hair and lean body. Sesshōmaru could see how she had made the mistake though he had not expected her to make it.

"Who you calling a lady, you ugly hag?" Kōga rebutted angrily, advancing towards the Panther demoness with a fist drawn back to punch her. Sesshōmaru stepped between them and caught Kōga's right fist in his left hand. The force was not worthy of being called a punch. In fact, Sesshōmaru had half a mind to simply throw the wolf demon chief into the water. But he decided against it. "You son of a…" Kōga said, looking up into Sesshōmaru's face and recognizing it. "Hey! You're that bastard's brother. Whatcha doing here, scaring my men?" Had the wolf finished his first outburst, Sesshōmaru would have gutted him there and then.

Before he replied, Sesshōmaru looked at the wolf demon's fist, still trying to force its way past his own. So he wanted to engage in a petty contest of strength. Good. At least this wolf wasn't backing away in abject terror like his subordinates. "How chivalrous, Sesshōmaru. Now beat him up for insulting me, your future mate." Tōran spoke loudly from behind him, trying to provoke both of them into a fight. _Felines…_ he sighed inwardly. Her words , however, managed to goad Kōga, who sprang back.

"You wanna fight? You got it, ya stinkin' mutt!" he shouted as a clawed weapon appeared on his right hand.

"You know you're also a smelly dog, right?" Tōran said as if she was trying to be helpful, pointing towards Kōga. "If you beat him now, you can take over this whole bunch and teach them how to fight." This last comment she whispered to Sesshōmaru. Swiftly, he calculated the advantages and disadvantages of the options before him. Establish dominance in a simplistic but undeniable single combat. Or attempt to begin negotiations now when tempers were erupting. Decision made. His right hand dropped to Tenseiga and drew it. This time, the sword made no protest and accepted the task before it.

"Enough!" A gust of wind blew between the two canines.

"Ayame, stay back!" Kōga shouted, turning around to his wife. Sesshōmaru took the opening for what it was. An opportunity to strike. Tenseiga flashed and struck Koga on the back of his head. The chief of the wolf tribe collapsed, unconscious and with a large swelling building on the back of his head.

"I said …" the smaller wolf demoness seemed to be gathering for a deadlier strike when Tōran interrupted with a more powerful gust that froze the rock around Ayame.

"Ayame-nee, y-you don't w-wanna mess with t-them! And y-you're…" Ginta said, trying to get her to stop. Icicles hung from Ginta's body as he had failed to anticipate or evade Tōran's sudden icy gust.

"Pregnant, yes we know. Now that he's," Tōran pointed at Sesshōmaru, "vented his anger and I've proven that my own little gust is a bit more powerful than what you were trying to do, can we talk?" Tōran asked, smiling sweetly.

"You hit him before the fight started!" Ayame protested angrily.

"I have no time for games. Do you want me to kill him?" Sesshōmaru sheathed Tenseiga and drew Bakusaiga, which immediately flowed with green demonic energy.

"Say 'No' and 'Please.' I was wrong. He's still angry," Tōran advised Ayame, obviously trying hard not to giggle at the Demon Dog Lord's own macabre showmanship.

* * *

Author's Notes:

1\. Apologies for not sticking to the 1 per month. I had the draft written out but I did not have much time to copy it onto MS Word for finalization.

2\. RJS & Cassidy - Both correct on Koga, good guess on Ayame. The other two were Ginta and Hakkaku. If you leave another review, please give me a syllable and I will incorporate your suggestion into the final name.

3\. It is my belief that, without the Shikon jewels, Koga is nowhere close to being a match for His Nibs, Sesshōmaru. Goraishi would certainly be a powerful weapon... if it was able to come into play. In this case, it didn't.

4\. Next chapter will be exploring the Demon Dog clan in a bit more detail and where I will be taking far more liberties with the original source material. After all, Sesshōmaru's mother + Inuyasha + Kagome = Hilarity.

5\. If I've made any blunders about the interactions between characters, please point them out and I will edit those passages. As of this posting, I haven't begun writing down the chapter, though I have a good mental outline of its progression.


	8. Demonstration

All characters, unless stated as original creations or additions, belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media and Shogakukan. Blame them. I'm just taking their characters' concepts to a different place. Also, feedback would be appreciated.

"This is really boring…" the half-demon Inuyasha complained loudly to his wife, Kagome, as they strolled around the castle's courtyard for the umpteenth time. The rock gardens had been nice enough the first and second times but they were boringly repetitive. What Kagome found more impressive were the Demon Dog Clan soldiers doing combat drills with strict discipline. She had used their route to observe them from multiple perspectives, finding their cohesion and precision to be more fearsome than she expected. Neither she nor Inuyasha had given the demon world much thought in recent years and they didn't know what to say to Kaede to explain Sesshōmaru's sudden and dramatic appearance.

"They look pretty tough. I think I see why Sesshōmaru is so hard on himself," Kagome commented as their finished another lap, stopping where they had left the napping Kirara.

"Huh?" her husband replied, looking at her as if Kagome had just lost her mind. No one could understand Sesshōmaru. That was made him who he was, it was the way he was. A loner. No one was his equal. He never acknowledged anyone as his equal. Sesshōmaru killed anyone who got close and it never seemed like anyone could meet him on equal terms.

"He's got to prove himself to them. As their leader, he has to be better than them, you know," Kagome pointed to the soldiers who had broken up into pairs to spar with swords.

Inuyasha scoffed at the thought that Sesshōmaru tried to be responsible enough to live up to his parents' legacy. He was too self-centered for that. "They're not so tough! I could take any of them with Tessaiga!" From the concerned look on Kagome's face and the sudden silence behind him, it was one of those moments when his mouth moved faster than his brain. There was no clatter of steel and the silent glares from one hundred and twenty-two pairs of eyes. His wife backed away nervously, fully aware that these were demons who had no compunction about killing humans. Kirara got her feet and growled, though she did not transform. It was only Sesshōmaru's word which kept all three of them safe and he was not here to enforce his will.

"There is no question of a contest if you use Tessaiga. Only Sesshōmaru-dono can best it. But unarmed? That is a true test. And I want to see if the bastard son can fend for himself without borrowing power from his father!" Everyone turned to face the newcomer. She entered the courtyard with a slow, majestic grace. Long silver hair flowed behind her in a ponytail and a sheathed sword hung from her belt.

 _Earlier_

"Is Sesshōmaru-sama the strongest demon in the world?" the little human asked the Lady Mother. The demoness chuckled gleefully at the innocence of the question.

"No he is not. For the simple reason that neither you nor I can say how strong the demons are in other lands. He is, of course, the most powerful demon in our clan but the boy lacks knowledge. I had hoped all of his aimless wandering would lead him to greater knowledge but alas… he has only learnt a little bit of the world," she replied to Rin. It irked Tsukiyo that a mere human was being so casual with the Lady Mother. And as the castle's Captain of the Guards looked over the little girl, she realized that Rin was wearing something entirely different from the night before despite not having brought any change of clothes. In fact, it was the same kimono that Tsubame and Taiya had worked on for the past few weeks.

"I told my beloved so many times not to be so indirect with his sons! But he insisted that they had to find the answers themselves! How much time we have wasted! I was surprised to see that the quarrel between him and the Panther has been cleared. I suppose she is the only political choice," the Lady Mother sighed. Tsukiyo felt her anger rise to her throat but she forced it down. "Last I heard, there was a bird _daiyōkai_ who might have given the boy a challenge but I haven't heard about them recently. Tsukiyo, go ask the mongrel boy if he knows what happened to that girl, Abi. Even if she's not a marriage option, her tribe would be a good addition to Sesshōmaru's army."

Tsukiyo bowed silently and withdrew from the chamber, seething with pent-up fury.

 _Present_

"Works for me!" Inuyasha growled, crouching down and extending his claws.

" _Osuwari_!" Tsukiyo watched in complete amazement as the hanyō slammed into the flooring. She directed her gaze at the human girl with him and attempted to understand the magic words she had said. "You and your big mouth will not get us into any more trouble." Tsukiyo had no idea what was going on but then she thought she saw something move. But it was gone and there was no scent…

"You should let him fight. Demons will not respect anyone who doesn't have the strength to back up his words," Tsukiyo said to Kagome.

"Your opinion doesn't matter to me. You're just trying to goad him into a fight. He will behave himself so I expect there will not be any problems," the human shot back.

"Inuyasha-sama! You must leave this place immediately. I don't know what possessed you to come here but we're all in grave danger here!" a voice hissed into Inuyasha's ear.

"Myōga-jii? How'd…" he whispered back.

"Never mind! You need to leave now!"

"Not happening!" Inuyasha roared, leaping back to his feet and lunging at Tsukiyo. "Sankon…urk!"

A green strand of light shot out and wrapped itself around Inuyasha. Just as quickly, it whipped to the side and flung him into the group of Demon Dog soldiers. The hanyō was pinned to the flooring by the weight of over a dozen soldiers before he could regain his balance. Each one growled and snarled threateningly.

"Myōga… I believe I made it very clear what would happen if you ever entered this castle again…" came the regal voice of the Lady Mother.

"Let him go!" Kagome demanded angrily.

Tsukiyo watched as a tiny flea demon was picked up by one of her soldiers, petrified with terror. She didn't know who he was but it was obvious from her Mistress' tone that his presence was intolerable. Of more immediate concern, however, was how he had snuck in without any guards or herself noticing. It was a lapse which she needed to find and address… if she survived the punishment that was sure to come.

The Inu no Kimi curled a finger, beckoning the prisoner be brought before her. "Put your hand out," she said to Rin, who was standing beside her. The little girl obeyed, putting both hands out, palms up. The soldier put Myōga on Rin's outstretched hands and backed away, head bowed. "Myōga, you have failed to inform this wretched boy about his father's legacy. How do you explain yourself?"

"It was not his wish for Inuyasha to … to be burdened by that legacy. It was his intention for Sesshōmaru to enter fully into those responsibilities when he was ready!" Myōga said frantically. Just then, Inuyasha managed to shake off the demons pushing him down and drew Tessaiga. He ran forwards, swinging it at the Lady Mother who held a hand out lazily to stop the blade. Tsukiyo expected to see it cleave off her hand as it slid between her index and middle finger. But the moment it touched her skin, the sword shone as it transformed into a thin, gleaming blade.

"You see, Myōga? He thinks he can save you from me with his father's sword. To inherit Tessaiga is to inherit a part of my dear beloved's legacy. His ignorance is your crime. Boy," she said now to Inuyasha as she held Tessaiga between her fingers. "This is your father's blade, Tessaiga. Do you see how handsome he is? Do you see how charming he was? He pulled out his fang to have it forged into a blade with a single purpose. To protect the ones he loved. Do you know what he did with this sword? Do you think he would ever hurt me?" She ran her fingers up and down the gleaming blade, tenderly caressing its edge.

"That makes no sense! Inuyasha cut off Sesshōmaru's arm with Tessaiga!" Kagome protested.

"Of course it did. Tessaiga was not meant for my son! It was a suitable punishment for Sesshōmaru for daring to defy his father's will and stray from his destiny. As he is now, Tessaiga is useless to my son for it cannot channel his power. But this boy swings his father's fang without understanding it."

"That's no different from Sesshōmaru and Tenseiga!" Inuyasha snapped back at her.

"On the contrary. Sesshōmaru understands, within his limited mind, why he has Tenseiga. Like Tessaiga, Tenseiga possesses something which its wielder lacks. My son is simply too stupid to realize that he has need of compassion."

Another gate to the courtyard opened and another Demon Dog soldier rushed forwards. She knelt, panting from running, with his head bowed. "Mistresses," she said to Tsukiyo and the Inu no Kimi, "there is a group at the main gate. A smith, a human boy and an imp claiming to Sesshōmaru-dono's vassal, all riding atop a cow. They seek entry."

The Inu no Kimi's lips curled into a smile. "Tōtōsai."

* * *

Author's Notes:

1\. I expect to have Chapter 9 done by the end of the month and posted within a week of its written completion.

2\. Not as much hilarity as I had hoped but if you have a better idea how to craft it, let me know.

3\. I was surprised to see how much I changed Kagome from my handwritten draft. A lot more defiant as she bloody well ought to be.

4\. Next chapter is going to be lots of Sesshomaru + Toran fun. And no, not THAT kind of fun. I used "+" not "x" so :P


	9. Transition

All characters, unless stated as original creations or additions, belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media and Shogakukan. Blame them. I'm just taking their characters' concepts to a different place. Also, feedback would be appreciated.

* * *

"So what do you want?"

Sesshōmaru began to believe that the real power lay in the wife rather than the wolf chieftain. She asked the question with her arms folded, glaring at the two intruders. Her husband simply existed to back up her demands, it seemed. They were in the chieftain's house, though that was being generous. In his opinion, it would be closer to a hovel, especially when compared to the place where he had left Rin for the past few years. Beside the demoness, Ayame, sat her husband, who nursed the back of his head where Sesshōmaru struck him with Tenseiga.

"Trolls from the north will invade in the spring. They have already invaded these lands once before. I want your tribe to join the army I am forming to resist them." There. He had said it. They even had the option of declining his demand.

"And what guarantee do we have that we are not simply bodies to be sacrificed ahead of your other warriors?" Ayame demanded instantly.

"None. Your only guarantee is that whichever sides wins the conflict will also hunt your tribe down and exterminate it. These are my lands and you live here at my sufferance. Do your duty and be rewarded. Shirk from it and face the consequences." Sesshomaru tried to be polite. He tried not to make it sound like a threat. But it was reality. The wolves clearly had no scope of the wider politics.

"I only have your word that these trolls mean us harm. If you …" Ayame began but Tōran cut her off.

"Little girl, I don't know you but I am fairly certain your husband interfered in my plans four years ago. Plans to kill this dog," the Panther demoness jabbed a finger at Sesshōmaru, anger rising at the memory. "And right now, I am proposing we become mates. Certainly not husband and wife but still something I would have considered madness even three months ago. I am proposing that Dog and Panther, mortal enemies, join together to face this mutual threat. Our clans have feuded for almost three hundred years! Does the gravity of the situation become clearer now?" There was the condescending Tōran. It was somewhat refreshing for Sesshōmaru to watch someone else be the object of her verbal lacerations. A pity that he knew he would soon be receiving yet another treatment of it.

Both wolves snarled at Tōran, smiling at their helplessness. The weak bow to the strong. The strong protect the weak who come to them. That was the basis of every feudal demon realm. Except the Northern Trolls. They preferred to terrorize the humans in their lands and demons not of their clan. They were an aberration to the _daiy_ ō _kai_ rulers, a clan which no true demon would happily work with, let alone fight alongside.

"You bastards!" Koga growled, clenching his fists.

"Actually, that's his brother. This one's the legitimate son," Tōran replied, still smiling. She spoke as if she was trying to be helpful. Now she was grandstanding. Sesshōmaru disliked the ploy but conceded that it had its merits. He picked up his cue.

"This is a war. There is glory and spoils to be gained for the victors. But only if they are fearless enough to seize the opportunity," he told them with finality.

"You calling me a coward?" Koga demanded. "I was fighting Naraku long before you!"

"What's a Naraku?" Tōran asked aloud, "It sounds edible.

"A half-demon with delusions of grandeur. He died," Sesshōmaru said coldly. Explaining anything beyond that to Tōran was unnecessary and she seemed to accept it, albeit with her characteristic poke at him.

"Obviously not by your hand since you're not boasting about how you killed him." A smirk crept across her face as Sesshōmaru said nothing, proving she was right. "Oh! That reminds me. You," Tōran pointed at Ayame, "Are there any other wind users here?" The two wolves blinked at the non-sequitor.

"No? I'm the only one in our clan," the wolf demoness replied with some confusion.

"And you're not powerful enough. There's a wind user somewhere here who is annoying me. Sesshōmaru, you know who it is and one day, you're going to tell me. Without any of your cryptic nonsense." Tōran spoke more to herself than to her companion.

"I thought you felines liked guessing games to heighten your curiosity?" Sesshōmaru shot back.

"A-Are you sure that getting married is the best idea?" Ayame asked.

"We're not getting married. We're just entering into an exclusive bonding. All he has to do is follow what I say. All I have to do is look pretty and warm his bed." Tōran waited but clearly no one got her joke. "I was making a joke..."

Sesshōmaru felt a small pang of guilt. He had understood she was attempting humor but he didn't react. He had not given life as her consort much thought. Demon to demon, he respected Tōran and her abilities. But given their history, he found the justification of political necessity hollow. It was _his_ reason but not hers. He did not know her reasons for this.

"Don't. You suck at it," Kōga frowned. "We done?"

"Your elation at our matrimony aside, I want to know whether your tribe can prepare itself in time. How many warriors can you field and skilled are they?" Sesshōmaru asked. Tōran smiled now and Sesshōmaru was certain that she intended to kill him now. And if the Panther demoness' grudge was anything like what they had once held for his own clan, Sesshōmaru was certain that the wolves were doomed.

"Not like we have a choice," Kōga snarled. "But my guys can handle themselves in a fight. I can bring maybe eighty of my best guys. I gotta some of 'em here to take care of everyone else.

Sesshōmaru glanced at Ayame, trying to judge how far along she was into her pregnancy. Morning sickness and the lack of a stomach bulge indicated that it was still early days for her. So she would have to be counted as one of the non-combatants once the fighting started. Her obvious abilities as a wind user would have greatly benefited his army, complimenting those of Tōran and her sister, Shunran.

"I want you to send some men out now. Find out where the trolls are crossing and report it. I will make sure that our own hunters find their quarry," Sesshōmaru told Kōga. The younger wolf just grunted in acknoledgement.

"Then we'll take our leave," the dog demon rose to leave and Tōran did likewise.

"Boy or girl?" she asked, turning to face Ayame.

"We're hoping for a girl," she replied more brightly.

"Hope for a boy. A lot of men will be dead in a year's time. Your clan will need warriors," the Panther told her coldly.

"Not the most inspiring of allies." Tōran's comment was, as usual, completely unnecessary. Did she enjoy stating the obvious or was it trait shared by all felines? No. She wanted his attention and she had gotten it.

"And your people are supposed to reassure me?" he shot back at her.

"Touche," she conceded. They were within sight of the castle now, above the clouds and the cold, snowy winds. There was some activity as guards moved around on the parapets. "Are they normally so lively?"

No. They shouldn't be so active. Sesshōmaru said as much to Tōran, who frowned. They were challenged in a timely manner and Sesshōmaru took heart that they had not forgotten their responsibilities. "What is going on?" he demanded from the nearest guard.

"Sesshōmaru-dono, a few minutes ago, the Lady Mother allowed the smith, Tōtōsai, entry into the castle and temporarly rescinded her previous orders to kill your father's retainers if they came to the castle. The two were accompanied by a human boy, an imp and a two-headed dragon, claiminng to be in your service." So Jaken and Kohaku had come with Tōtōsai. He had not anticipated it but the outcome was still useful.

"Tōran," Sesshōmaru spoke to her as they walked side by side, "We will begin negotiations once we see what the commotion is." She flashed her predatory grin.

"Just you and me, Sesshōmaru. No interference from anyone."

"Agreed."

"So, your father's former retainers? I'm curious to know what's so special that they deserve a death sentence. Is there a reason they don't serve you?"

"My father's retainers disagree with my views. They were only loyal to him." That meant they had no business here save for the impending invasion from the north. Tōtōsai's presence was unanticipated but not wholly surprising. Myōga, on the other hand, was a cowardly flea. Why would he have dared to come here at all? There was no safety to be found here. Then he understood why the flea was here as he and Tōran joined the others in the courtyard.

"Sesshōmaru-dono!" Tsukiyo called out as he entered, bending her knee to kneel before him. Kohaku and most of the other demon dogs did likewise. The imp, Jaken, bowed so low that his face hit the flooring.

"Lord Sesshōmaru. Please allow this humble Jaken to offer his congratulations upon your ascension to your lordship over the Demon Dog Clan!" the sycophantic imp cried, tears streaming down his face.

It would have been imprudent to dismiss Jaken as he normally did. "Rise, Jaken. Our work is not done. You two," he pointed to Kagome and Inuyasha. "Is your business here concluded? Have you learnt what you wanted?"

Tōran leaned beside his ear and whispered, "Your kid brother's stupid enough to jump into this fight if you goad him the right way." Exactly what he had been thinking. Jaken gaped how close she was to his lord.

"Like hell!" Inuyasha declared on cue and pointed Tessaiga at Tōran. "I know you said something about me quitting! I'll show ya!"

Sesshōmaru looked at Tōran. "As you said." She smiled as she stretched her neck from left to right, purring audibly. For the first time, Sesshōmaru found that he welcomed the sound of her approval and was reassured by it. Moreso, he was surprised by the realization. It meant that the damned feline was growing on him...

"Sesshōmaru," his mother spoke now. "I have spared the flea and the smith's lives for a reason. May I proceed?"

"It is your quarrel so I will not intervene."

"Myōga the flea will be restricted just as those three are. If he is found anywhere else, you may kill on sight. Otherwise, his only duty is to school the _hany_ _ō_ in our departed lord's legacy. And if you have any information which I would find useful, it would be to your benefit to tell me now. Myōga trembled in terror, shaking and nodding his head as appropriate for his survival. So he had little to contribute to this campaign.

"A moment, Sesshōmaru," interrupted the smith, Tōtōsai. Both mother and son turned to face him. As neither said anything, the demon swordsmith continued, "From what I gather, there is much political intrigue going around. Myōga is only attempting to fulfill his own instructions from your father. Inuyasha has nothing to do with the Demon Dog Clan. We never imagined that he would ever have a reason to visit this castle. Now, as you can see, there is much hostility towards him. Just as you condescend upon your brother, your vassals do likewise."

"Your point, old man?" the Inu no Kimi asked.

"Pray do not be so harsh on them. The boy's ignorance is our fault, not his. Myōga was only trying to get Inuyasha to leave before he became caught up in business unrelated to him."

"That may be. But you forget the reasons why you were both banned from this castle and why I have a particular reason to kill the flea. If he loves his master's second son so much that he would risk death at my hands, he can endure whatever alternative which does not result in his execution." His mother spoke coldly towards the smith. It was a battle of wills and Sesshōmaru recognized that there could only be one will in this castle. His.

"I am lord of this castle. The business of Myōga the flea is concluded. Tōtōsai, what are you here for?" He glanced at Tōran, who showed no reaction. If she was content to be an observer for now, just as well. Everyone's attention would be on them soon enough.

"I came to offer my services to your clan for the duration of this conflict. More lives will be saved if my swords are used. And it would please me to boast that I helped to repel the trolls twice."

"Accepted. The only thing left is the mating agreement between myself and the leader of the Panther Demon tribe. Jaken, you will act as scribe." The little imp bowed and ran off to get paper, ink and brush, sputtering incoherently all the while. Now Tōran preened.

"Before that, does anyone know what happened to that bird, Abi? I recall she had some skill as a _daiy_ _ō_ _kai_." His mother's question took Sesshōmaru by surprise. He did not know of any female _daiy_ _ō_ _kai_ by that name. "Her mother was an old hag but the daughter was tolerable."

"Um... do you mean the princess of the Birds of Paradise? She was killed by Naraku. The whole tribe was," Kagome said, raising her hand to get everyone's attention.

The Inu no Kimi sighed in defeat. Sesshōmaru saw that she had played her last card to prevent any union between him and Tōran. "What is a Naraku? It sounds edible." she asked finally. Tōran's ears perked up and she waited to see if there was going to be a more detailed explanation.

Sesshōmaru judged that it would take too long to explain. It was a tale which would take a damnably long time. So he shortened it the same way he had done so for Tōran. "A _hanyō_ with delusions of grandeur. He is dead now."

"Obviously not by your hand. So tell me, were his delusions of grandeur different from those of a full demon's?" his mother asked.

"He desired to become a full demon. Not a wish that a full demon would have," her son replied.

"This was around the time you were playing with the Meido Zangetsuha, wasn't it?" Sesshōmaru nodded silently.

"Only one thing remained. The boy, Kohaku. "Kohaku," Sesshōmaru spoke his name and the boy stiffened as every demon present turned their attention to him. "Your task will be to identify the critical leaders in the trolls' clan and identify who must be killed, who can be bought, and who we should capture. Tsukiyo can provide you with information and supplies."

"I can do that, Sesshōmaru-sama, but my fee…" Kohaku began when Tsukiyo suddenly stepped in front of him, drawn sword under his neck. The demonic energy vibrating within it made his hair stand on edge. A blackness seemed to surround the blade.

"You dare to demand payment from your lord before you do your duty?" she hissed, baring her teeth.

"Stand down, Tsukiyo," Sesshōmaru glared at the demoness, who reluctantly sheathed her sword and stepped back. "Your payment will be discussed when you produce results. For now, you have nothing to offer which I would purchase."

Kohaku laughed nervously. "Yes, that is true, Sesshōmaru-sama. Forgive me for saying so but humans normally pay something up front and the rest upon completion of a service."

"I am not a human employer," the other replied, his voice showed some confusion as to why he should need to state the obvious.

Realizing that he was going to get nowhere, Kohaku said instead, "If I might be permitted to spend some time here to prepare for the journey and leave tomorrow or the day after, that would aid me greatly."

"See me before you depart," was all Sesshōmaru said in reply, ending the discussion.

"Is that everything then?" the Inu no Kimi asked with an exaggerated yawn.

"Now that all other affairs are concluded, yes. I would prefer to hold our discussions with Tōran in a more… private setting however."

"Then follow me. And bargain well."

* * *

Author's Notes:

1)_ I felt I needed to use this chapter to clear away all of the outstanding issues. Only one left is just what Kagome and Inuyasha are going to do. That is deliberately so.

2) One important thing happens in this chapter which I'm pretty happy I managed to work in. To me, that justifies this chapter's otherwise helter-skelter nature.

3) Chapter 10 will entirely be the negotiating process and its outcome.


	10. Aggressive Negotiations

All characters, unless stated as original creations or additions, belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media and Shogakukan. Blame them. I'm just taking their characters' concepts to a different place. Also, feedback would be appreciated.

* * *

The Inu no Kimi led the group to a little-used part of the castle. Sesshōmaru, Tōran, Jaken and Rin followed her. Tsukiyo had been instructed to escort the others to their respective rooms. As Sesshomaru understood, this wing was used to entertain guests. Given the Demong Dog Clan's seclusion, it was little wonder that the wing was rarely used. However, it was still immaculately maintained. Torches hung from braziers along the walls, providing light in this part of thwe castle.

"This is where your grandfather and father negotiated for my hand and the line of succession. It seems proper for you to do the same here." The room was long, obviously meant for two nobles and their retainers to sit across from each other. At the far end, a raised dais with cushions for the two heads waited invitingly.

Jaken carried scrolls of paper, a jar of ink and two brushes so as to record the agreement between the two demons. Rin plodded barefoot between Sesshōmaru and Tōran, looking up at one then the other. "So Sesshōmaru-sama is getting married now?"

"No, you silly child! These are the negotiations for a bonding between them. There won't be any marriage!" Jaken loudly behind her. Rin just looked confused.

"But Kagome-san said that if a man and a woman are together," Rin put her two index fingers together to emphasize the joining, "then they get married. And then they have children." Her voice trailed off and she started to feel embarrassed.

"Marriage requires love. To love means to value another over oneself. I do not think either of them are at that place. They just want something from the other. What little Tōran wants from my son piques my curiosity." The aloofness of Sesshōmaru's mother made Tōran smile.

"You do your son too little credit. I see a lot of you in him," the younger demoness as she stepped in and walked besides Sesshōmaru to the front two cushions. They sat, Sesshōmaru impassive and Tōran smiling knowingly. Jaken unfurled a long scroll of white paper on a small table and set down the ink and brushes. The imp then rolled back his sleeves and sat. Rin plopped herself besides him to watch Jaken write. The Inu no Kimi sat quietly to the side.

"What are your terms?" Sesshōmaru demanded. Jaken began writing with swift, crisp strokes which mesmerized Rin.

"First. Our relationship will be considered two halves of a whole." Sesshōmaru held up his hand to stop her there.

"Why? What is your game, Tōran?"

She chuckled and replied, "There is no game, Sesshōmaru. Do not deny we have the same goal. Supreme conqueror of all the lands! It has a nice ring to it. How many times have we faced each other? In a duel, you and me. Have any of them ended conclusively?" His silence was her answer. "How can you conquer all when you can't beat me? How can I do it when I can only fight you to a draw?" I actually gave it a lot of thought. Three months ago, I came to the only answer which allows both of us to achieve our goals. Neither of us needs to worry about the other if we are conquering the world _together_! But how to do it so that you must accept me? I had no answer for that until two weeks ago. The Northern Trolls are poor neighbors compared to your clan. So now we have a common foe and one which you will struggle to defeat alone. I want _you_ , Sesshōmaru."

There was clapping from the corner where the Inu no Kimi lounged. "You have been outmaneuvered, Sesshōmaru. The girl from next door is as greedy as her father. I hope you have a worthy counterattack." Tōran pulled her hair back with a purr.

Rin poked Jaken for an explanation. The imp was seething at the way his master had been manipulated from the start. "That … that cunning snake!"

"I thought she was a Panther, Jaken-sama," Rin pointed to Tōran's tail

"It's a figure of speech, Rin!" the imp snapped. Rin nodded, more confused than before.

The Demon Dog Lord stared at the smiling Panther Demoness. Her words had no meaning, the logic slid off his brain as if it was never there, the idea of them working together to conquer the world too ludicrous for him to comprehend. All he could think was that this was the Tōran! The one rival, his only undefeated adversary, the one female who matched his power and skill at every encounter. Why her?

"Admit it, Sesshōmaru. You'd be bored by someone inferior to you. Nor is there a demoness who is superior to you in skill and power whom you'd be happy with. If we are going to do this, our realms must be as joined as we are." Tōran looked hard at him now with those familiar eyes. He had seen them up close often enough but this was the first time he saw sincerity in them.

Sesshōmaru kept his eyes locked on Tōran's as he wrestled with his thoughts. Why did he hesitate now? Was he afraid of something? No. It wasn't fear. Sesshōmaru never felt fear. But he was uncertain and doubted Tōran. He distrusted her. But then, she had no reason to trust him and yet, here she was proposing an arrangement which would bind them together and force them to trust each other. It was a gamble and that, he realized, was why he hesitated. Sesshōmaru hated gambles.

"Agreed," he finally said. Tōran's shoulders seemed to relax just a little. "Anything else?"

"Oh yes. As we will be mates, some mating will be required." Jaken sputtered out loud in scandalized horror. "The details we can resolve … later. But let us agree no more than twice a day unless mutually agreed upon."

"Once a day," Sesshōmaru countered. "Or until both of us are satisfied."

"Agreed. Oh! And you will kiss me, on the lips, each morning and compliment me once a day. Even if you have to lie." Now Tōran was grinning her familiar mischievous feline smile. Well, two could play that game.

"Only if you accept my conditions. We leave open the possibility for a formal marriage at a later date. You and I agree that the point of this union is procreate. And, absent an heir of the body, Rin will be made heir to both realms."

Tōran listened with a confused look. She noticed the mother's eyebrow arch in surprise. Truth be told, Tōran liked this bold and audacious Sesshōmaru more. If nothing else, he was more fun to play with. She turned her attention to the little human girl who looked around in bewilderment after hearing her name. The attention everyone was paying to her was causing her to blush crimson.

Such a small thing and with so little time. The short lives of humans, their fragility and physical weakness in comparison to demons made them obvious prey to demons. Yet there were many more of them. Tōran could not deny that Rin seemed undaunted, though extremely self-conscious, about the sudden elevation of status. Maybe. Just maybe. If she was successful, Tōran could tease Sesshōmaru about how a little human girl domesticated the whole Demon Dog Clan. Otherwise, she could still tease him about something else.

"Deal," she said, laughing at the hilarity of what could happen.

"Sesshōmaru," his mother said, sounding serious, "Does this mean… Am I to understand that you wish for her to be recognized as your daughter?" Tōran saw her face struggling to control the emotions.

"If that is how you interpret my designation of Rin as my… our heir, then I will not disagree," her new partner said.

"I congratulate you on the way you have forced me to take personal care of her," she said with no small of amount of chagrin. "Though I admit, it is a brilliant if eccentric stroke."

"Um… Sesshōmaru-sama, what am I…" Rin started to ask when he raised a hand to interrupt.

"Listen and learn, Rin. I understand the humans have taught you some letters. Jaken will complete your tuition."

"This Jaken is honored to be appointed to such a high responsibility," the little imp smacked his head against the floor.

"Now, Tōran, what is your next move?" Sesshōmaru asked her.

Tōran twirled a lock of her blue hair in her right index finger as if contemplating. "To maneuver you to my bed and see how long it takes to be … mutually satisfied with our new arrangement."

Jaken coughed loudly. "Lord Sesshōmaru," the sycophant said, holding up the long scroll of paper upon which he had drafted the agreement. "Both of you will need to stamp the document with your blood for it to be binding. Most demons bite their right thumb."

Both demons shrugged and bit down on their thumbs with their sharp canines. Small blobs of dark crimson blood formed and the two demons walked over. They pressed their bloody thumbs on the far left end of the scroll, rolling them to make a clear imprint. It was more than a formality. To demon clans, such documents were sacred bonds and to renege would result in a blood feud.

When they were done, Tōran and Sesshōmaru looked at each other to see if the other had something to say.

"You suck each other's thumbs now. It's the unofficial tradition," the Inu no Kimi pointed out. That tradition seemed to be just a sentimental formality to both of them. But everyone else in the room watched them so intently, neither felt they could decline unless they were ready to lose face.

Sesshōmaru took Tōran's right hand and brought it to his mouth. Realizing she couldn't fall behind, Tōran did likewise. Each put the other's thumb in their mouths simultaneously, licking the wound.

To Sesshōmaru, it felt childish. But the salty bitterness of Tōran's blood made his adrenaline pump and he began to yearn for something more vigorous. The touch of her warm tongue on his thumb sent an electric shock through him, like a call to hunt. From the way Tōran looked at him, she was feeling the same thing. Slowly, each pulled their thumbs out of the other's mouth.

"And following your attempts to maneuver me, what else do you intend?" he asked her.

"I was thinking we might cuddle, plan some war strategies in bed, convince you to go back west with me to inform my tribe, and then see if I can tempt you for more … mutual satisfaction."

The Inu no Kimi rose to leave, shaking her head as she strode past. "I told him he shouldn't stopped at the father. He should have wiped out the whole tribe when he had a chance…" she lamented aloud. Tōran laughed triumphantly as her mother-in-law exited the room.

* * *

Author's Notes

1) Ah, innuendo.

2) Tōran really is a greedy cat.

3) Chapter 10.5 will be posted probably at the end of the month. I have not started drafting it yet since I wanted to complete this and fulfill some of my promises. As I mentioned in Update #2, it will be a separate story thread as I need to put an M rating on it. It will explore the more intimate arrangements of our two protagonists. It should be a one-shot.

4) I will stick to this system of drafting each chapter on paper so I can set ideas and structure down then typing it up so that I can add more details and edits later on. I found it more helpful than doing simple outlines with this chapter. That means a slower rate of updates but, hopefully, equates to higher quality writing, ideas, and details.

5) All constructive feedback is welcome. If you criticize, please also include what you would like to see or what you think I should do instead.

6) I really am not sure if I should name Sesshōmaru's mother or not. Using her unofficial title is becoming... tedious and repetitive. Though I don't see anyone calling her by name, either so... kinda stuck on that point.


	11. A Family Dinner

All characters, unless stated as original creations or additions, belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media and Shogakukan. Blame them. I'm just taking their characters' concepts to a different place. Also, feedback would be appreciated.

* * *

Inuyasha scowled as Totōsai was escorted off to the castle's forge and the taller Tsukiyo loomed over him. She held out something small clutched between her index finger and thumb. "You know what will happen if you misbehave," the dog demoness growled with such contempt that Inuyasha thought she was trying to pick a fight. Then he realized she was addressing Myōga the flea in her fingers, waiting for Inuyasha to take him.

"It's not like he's done anything wrong!" Inuyasha protested, taking the trembling Myōga in his open palm. Tsukiyo raised her glare from the flea to him.

"Is it acceptable to enter one's domain without permission in time of war?" she asked icily.

"No but it was only because I was here," Inuyasha continued, "And he wasn't spying so it's not like he's done anything bad."

"And how are you in a position to know, ignorant pup?" The condescension in her reply, the hostility from every dog demon, Tessaiga's earlier impotence all frustrated Inuyasha. It made him feel like there was a lot more to his father than he, or his mother, really knew about. If his mother had known about the Demon Dog Clan and its politics, would she have kept it from him? No, she wouldn't have hobbled him when she had taught him so much. Before he could snap any reply, a firm hand gripped his shoulders.

"Please forgive my husband. His mouth runs faster than his brain."

Tsukiyo turned her attention from Inuyasha to Kagome. "You clearly did not marry him for his intellect. Was it for his funny ears?" Again with the ears. How was it his fault that he didn't have normal ears like every other dog demon?

"No, neither of those, though the ears did help. I love him for something more important than those things," Kagome said firmly.

Tsukiyo was silent for a moment then spoke. "Sesshōmaru-dono said you were useful. He," she pointed to Inuyasha, "has Tessaiga. What can you do?"

Kagome scratched her chin. Why would Sesshōmaru call her useful? He had never said much to her. "Well, I know a lot about medicinal herbs. And I know some purification spells." The dog demoness shook her head and pointed to the bow lying next to Kirara.

"Do you know how to use it?"

Inuyasha grinned and boasted, "Kagome is one of the best archers in the world!" Tsukiyo's face remained impassive. What was it about dog demons and their lack of facial expression?

"For a human, perhaps. I remember that they're blind at night. Or have they developed keener eyesight in the past century?" Kagome sighed and walked over to her bow, patting Kirara on the head. She picked up the sacred longbow and her quiver of arrows.

"Give me a target." The dog demoness smiled and walked away towards the opposite end of the courtyard. Her bored expression challenged Kagome to nock and loose at her. So, Kagome pulled an arrow from her quiver. She gave it a brief examination and was satisfied that it was a well-made slim pointed togari-ya arrowhead. It would fly faster than a regular broadhead. Kagome placed against her bow and drew the string back steadily, taking her time to aim and infuse the arrow with her purification magic. When Kagome felt the string reach the point where she could pull no more, she released the deadly shaft and watched it fly towards Tsukiyo. After all the hostility towards Inuyasha, Kagome had little compunction about putting Tsukiyo in danger. If she got hurt as a result of her own arrogance, Sesshōmaru would say it was deserved.

The arrow's course justified Inuyasha's confidence in Kagome skill. It sped towards Tsukiyo, shining brightly from Kagome's infused magic until it stopped suddenly in front of the demoness. Its brightness died like a candle being snuffed out. She held the arrowhead between two fingers, turning it over and examining it, then twirled it between her fingers to test the weight. Still clutching it, Tsukiyo walked back to them and returned the arrow. "So, that is why Sesshōmaru-dono said you had use. That would certainly trouble many of the trolls. But I see two flaws.

"Ya sayin' that Kagome's weak, ya…" Inuyasha began when Kagome activated the Beads of Subjugation and a sword slashed right where the hanyō's head had been an instant before.

"Quick reflexes for a human," Tsukiyo commented as if nothing had happened. "Your two problems are your own archery and the magic in the arrows. Do you understand so far?" Kagome frowned slightly. She didn't know what was wrong with her archery. Kaede had taught her much and she had learnt even more on her own in battle. But Kagome knew that the light from her purification arrows gave away her position and intent. "There's nothing I can do about the magic. But there is something you can do about your poor form." Tsukiyo extended her hand for the bow and Kagome reluctantly handed it over. She expected the demoness to wince at the power of the sacred longbow but she seemed unaffected by its magic. "Watch," Tsukiyo said as Kagome made mental notes about the difference in the demoness' form and her own. Tsukiyo drew the string back slowly and when it reached her cheek, Kagome guessed Tsukiyo would stop there. But she kept going past her ears. "This is how far you should be drawing your bow. Not to your cheek. Have you ever trained under anyone?"

Kagome related her training under Kaede, who had learnt a bit from Kikyō. She could understand the point of drawing farther back to add more power. In the past, she had drawn to her cheek because that was the extent of her physical strength and over time, it had become habit. Kaede had done the same so Kagome assumed it was normal.

"I will speak to Sesshōmaru-dono about your training. If you are to be of use to him, it is best that you and … him," she glared at Inuyasha, "learn to use your weapons in war. And you should give that toy to the child while you use something… better."

Behind them, Rin and Kohaku watched and discussed what would happen, laughing at each turn of events. Some of the demon dog guards hovered nearby, keeping an eye on their master's favorite human and assessing the abilities of the human mercenary.

* * *

Dinner that night was reserved for Sesshōmaru, Tōran and the Lady Mother. Tsukiyo attended as head of the event's security but did not sit at the table, instead standing behind Tōran. A quartet of guards stood in each corner of the room as silent sentinels. Young dog demons acted as servers, walking in and out with platters of food. Tōran noted that most of the ingredients were local but much of the preparation seemed to be somewhat foreign in its preparation. She observed her new mother-in-law throwing regular glances at her, as if daring Tōran to make some comment to break the awkward silence. Tsukiyo made no effort to hide her disdain of Tōran. Sesshōmaru ate silently, not caring about the low-level hostility between the ladies in the room. If his mother, mate and captain of the guard did not get along, they would have centuries to settle things between them. No need to rush things when there were other, more pressing matters at hand. Like the war.

He spoke up, addressing Tsukiyo. "Has there been any report from our scouts and the wolves?" Sesshōmaru was curious to know if the slovenly wolves had been able to mobilize within the day.

Tsukiyo turned to reply to him. "Our hunters report the scent of trolls but no sign of their actual presence. They have begun to search farther afield. No contact has been made with the wolves." So, it was as he suspected. They took some time to prepare themselves. With luck, the wolves' own scouts would make contact in the day or so.

"Where are your two pet humans, Sesshōmaru?" his mother asked, picking up a piece of steamed demon fish and placing it on her plate.

"Rin is entertaining Kohaku with those two girls, Tsubame and Taiya. She seems to grown fond of them as companions," Sesshōmaru replied, taking a piece from the same fish with his chopsticks.

"Yes, I had noticed how they seemed to be spending more time with her. I believe they, too, are taken by her." Sesshōmaru did not say anything about the word "too" but filed it into his mind as a note of some interest. "She is an … amusing companion. For a human." There was a short pause between the two sentences as if the last one was an afterthought.

"She certainly is," Tōran agreed, following their lead and taking a piece of the fish. "I'm sure the boy will be impressed by her company as well."

Sesshōmaru ignored Tōran's attempt to make him worry about Kohaku doing anything indecent. Rin was with others. She was safe. And if she wanted to give her affection to Kohaku, that was her decision to make. Sesshōmaru had long said she was free to do as she wished.

"When do you plan to leave tomorrow?" his mother asked. Her son hid his surprise with a scowl. "Why do you make that face? It would only be proper to meet your new consort's people. Ours have seen enough of her for the past day." The Inu no Kimi shot Tōran a glare and, in turn, Tōran munched with feigned obliviousness on her fish.

"After breakfast," Sesshōmaru replied, raising an eyebrow as he took another bite of his own fish. He had assumed Tōran had stayed out of trouble last night. His mother was making a veiled reference to… something. So, what had Tōran done?

Tsukiyo spoke as if in answer to his question. "I caught her sneaking around the barracks."

"Oh, don't spare him the details," Tōran grinned mischievously, taking a drink of tea. "I was curious about your warriors. So, I went to take a peek at them. Unfortunately, the only one I managed to spy on in the baths was your captain. It was a brief show but I'll be sure to bring you along next time." The Panther spoke so casually that Tsukiyo flushed crimson.

The Inu no Kimi sighed. "Children…"

* * *

Chapter Notes:  
1) Merry New Year, Happy Christmas, Joyous Hannukah, Festive Greetings to you and your long lost kinsmen recently discovered upon your couch!

2) I feel like this another "filler" chapter where I have to deal with the minutia of preparing for the next arc. Adventures in Toranland ahead!

3) I suspect the new thing will be take a month to draft the chapter, another one to type it up. Things will probably speed up during periods when I have no work.

4) I'm not currently planning anything for Rin x Kohaku so if you're a fan of the pairing, don't be holding out much hope. That said, I am open to bribery in the form of sacrificial chocolate muffins.


	12. Journey to the West, Part the First

Usual stuff about copyright ownership not belonging to me, etc.

* * *

Jaken wanted to protest and beg his master to allow him to go along but he had not. Lord Sesshōmaru had given him an important duty and Jaken would not argue with an assignment of such magnitude. The little imp well knew of his lord's fondness for the little human girl and this seemed an obvious and inevitable step to take. Rin had spent several years amongst the humans but seemed to integrate right back into the group as if no time had passed. Her place was by Lord Sesshōmaru. Every great Lord surrounded himself with many and varied retainers. So, it was understandable for Lord Sesshōmaru to have Rin as one.

Tōran watched the little imp bite back his natural urge to follow his liege and resigned himself to the education of a puny little human girl. She had expected to see the little human in tears, surrounded by demons but she was smiling and looked comfortable with the prospect of being alone with demons. The Panther demoness made a mental note to find out more about the human. Sesshōmaru had adopted her and clearly prized her for some reason. Even his mother seemed to dote on her. And she was fearless around demons. As Tōran wondered what made Rin special, she noticed the human girl looking at her as if trying to decide on something.

"You have a question?" Tōran asked, bending down as she spoke. She saw Sesshōmaru in the corner of her vision, watching their conversation despite having a conversation with his mother. In fact, she realized that both dog demons were watching her. Tōran was amused by how much they cared for a simple human. Humans were insignificant when compared to the power of a _daiyōkai_.

Tōran's question seemed to settle the matter in Rin's hesitation and her face set into a resolute expression. "If Sesshōmaru-sama is my new father and you are his new consort, does that make you my new mother?"

Tōran's mind went blank as she was stunned into silence by the question. She had not considered that relationship. She was not even sure how she stood in such a relation to the human girl.

"I … I don't know," she replied, willing herself not to look towards Sesshōmaru for his reaction. That wasn't an answer and if she was like demon children, she would continue pressing for one. What could she say? What should she say? "Do you want me to be?"

Now it was Rin's turn to ponder. "I don't know either … But it would be nice." She spoke slowly, as if speaking the thoughts as they formed. The little imp, Jaken, opened his mouth as if to stutter something but no sound came out. Tōran surmised that Sesshōmaru had silenced him with a harsh glare, given that Jaken could see Sesshōmaru while she could not. She looked more closely at Rin and was surprised that there was no pleading look. Just innocent curiosity. "Sesshōmaru-sama, what do you think?" she asked, turning to her adoptive father.

"She is a demoness whose specialty is extreme cold," was his only reply to her.

Tōran did not rise to the bait. "There's no need to make a decision now. We can settle this when we return." Rin did not say anything, knowing that there was nothing else to be said.

"Sesshōmaru," the Inu no Kimi cut in loudly. Everyone turned to face her. "Why do you try my infinite patience! Oh, I don't know what's worse! Having a human girl as my first grandchild, my son sleeping with a Panther girl, or seeing my dear beloved's legacy soiled by his bastard!" She lamented her woes dramatically, holding her hand to her head as if feeling faint.

Then she leaned in hissed, "There is more than one path to conquest. Force and strength will not be enough." He looked her in the eye and didn't speak. More riddles. Why couldn't his parents just tell him outright? Then again, his father had been more explicit and he had treated those words as nonsense. So maybe there was a point in the cryptic messages.

"I will keep that in mind."

* * *

When they were finally away, Tōran, unsurprisingly, spoke first. "You have such a charming family." Sesshōmaru simply raised an eyebrow to make her get to the point. When she didn't speak, he supposed Tōran was waiting for him to make some retort.

"I look forward to seeing if yours has improved. How many times have I beaten them now?" Sesshōmaru did not smile as he made the rejoinder but noted that he was becoming quicker to spar verbally with Tōran. They had bound themselves to each other, however loosely, but it irked him how quickly he was relaxing around her now.

"We're going to have so much fun. Shunran's cooking has improved so be nice to her about it," Tōran said now smiling. "You should learn to smile. A ruler needs to smile sometimes."

"You're sure her food is real and not an illusion?" Sesshōmaru asked, ignoring the comment about smiling. Tōran let out a bark of laughter.

"Of course. Now smile." Sesshōmaru thought how odd it was that she was sincerely amused and entertained by his verbal jabs.

"That's Rin's job," he replied sourly, setting his lips stiffly parallel.

"Oh, I'm glad to hear you've learnt to delegate responsibility but don't change the subject. You will smile for me."

"Perhaps when I feel you've earned it," Sesshōmaru said haughtily.

Tōran clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Such a tease, Sesshōmaru. How about telling me what you were discussing with the human boy before we left?"

Sesshōmaru had to consider his response. He had made no secret of the brief moment that he had spoken to Kohaku alone. It had, however, been discreet enough to prevent Tōran's excellent hearing from understanding what was being said. There was nothing truly significant about his instructions but Sesshōmaru felt reluctant to share it with his mate.

The problem was the information he felt Tōran needed to know differed from what Sesshōmaru felt needed to be shared. His tendency was to provide only as much information was needed but he was also smart enough to know that such a relationship was not the one of total equality that he and Tōran had agreed on. He felt an instant warning from his primal instincts and recognized its meaning. Whatever he decided here would be reciprocated by Tōran.

"I told him that his job was to find the leaders of the invasion and give that information to the scouts. They will perform any assassinations. He will be needed for the main invasion's leaders. He waived his usual fees after I reminded him of what he owes me. Nonetheless, he will be rewarded for his work."

Tōran scoffed at the idea of a human demanding payment from a demon lord. "You've really gone soft. He should be thanking you for such an honor. But don't worry. I'll remind you what it means to be a demon lord." Sesshōmaru stayed silent but noticed Tōran smiling.

The rest of the day passed in similar fashion with short bouts of verbal sparring that ended inconclusively. Tōran and Sesshōmaru landed at dusk and found a cave to spend the night. They would cross into the Panther Tribe's land the next day. They did not light a fire but sat close to each other.

"Does the cold bother you, Sesshōmaru?" Tōran asked him, in a voice that held none of the arrogance or condescension which both demons used on each other. In an instant, Sesshōmaru was on guard for a trap. Her tone and failure to follow up with a sarcastic remark made him all the warier of his new mate. Theirs was a relationship of convenience and greed, built upon a mutual sense of distrust and desire to avoid mutual destruction.

"I feel the cold but it would take more than that alone to hurt me," he replied cautiously.

"I don't know why but I don't feel it. I can feel the changes in temperature, I know what cold feels like. But I don't ever feel cold. Is that how it is with poison for you?" she asked him.

Sesshōmaru looked at Tōran again. He hadn't thought about that. In the past, he had never given a thought to how his powers affected him. It was natural and had always been part of him, given that it was inherited from his mother. But he had never discussed the ways of using his power with her or his father, who had exhibited none of the poisonous skills which he, Sesshōmaru, and his mother wielded. It would explain why his bastard brother, Inuyasha, had a different attack with his claws. Father had been a martial figure, unconnected to any element. As to Tōran's question, he had to think for a moment. Sesshōmaru had never discussed such things with anyone, let alone a _daiyōkai_ who was on par with him.

"I have always been unaffected by even the strongest poisons. It is an immunity that is helpful. I can taste and smell them but it is as if the toxins were just as harmless as the air we breathe," he told her after his consideration.

She let out a bark of laughter. "So that plan to overwhelm your senses with foul-smelling smoke probably wouldn't have worked anyway. I thought so but Karan felt that if it worked on your brother, it would work on you. Are you hungry? I can probably catch something for us. Don't trust dogs to hunt at night and you won't have to worry about being poisoned."

"I can wait until morning. I'd rather have you where I can see you," he replied, again on guard. She was offering to get food for both of them. Why?

Tōran scooted closer to him and Sesshōmaru sat still, watching her without turning his head to her. Then she licked him on the cheek. "You're mine, Sesshōmaru. All mine. Don't be so paranoid. I'm not going to hurt what's mine."

* * *

The couple set off the next morning after dressing. Tōran took particular care to make sure her clothes and hair were presentable, making Sesshōmaru wait for a time. Any comment about her need to improve her natural good looks would doubtless cause more delay. On the other hand, it would satisfy his required daily compliment. He held off until she was done. "What use is there in wasting time on that? Your presentation is already impeccable." As he expected, Tōran smiled smugly at the compliment.

"A demoness always needs to look good for her mate. Likewise, you need to improve yourself. Not much of a regal bearing. Chin up more, look down your nose at everyone else. But not me. You look me in the eyes or I'll do something horrible to you," she told him. "And don't frown or glare so much. You ought to always show you're in control of yourself. Now, be a dear and help me tie the wretched knot at the back. Without groping anything, preferably."

It took another half day of flight to reach a large and strongly built wooden hill fort. Warriors paced back and forth on the ramparts, cloaked in heavy furs. Sesshōmaru felt them pass through an unseen magical barrier meant to alert the occupants. It had immediate effect as he saw figures rushing now around the walls and towers. More figures were emerging from the round stone houses within the fort. At least they were alert.

Sesshōmaru counted at least fifty dwellings and decided that this wasn't the main Panther stronghold. Their army numbered many times over what could be gathered in such a small, single level fortress. It was probably the closest one to his territory and thus served as a good waystation for them. He could see the presence of humans in the surrounding wooded area, in the form of settlements dotted along a distant hill and a human-built dirt road ran through the hills.

Tōran led them to land at the gate rather than the interior. It was generally poor social etiquette to fly into another's residence or one's own home when accompanied by guests. Not that social etiquette was high with most demons. But it paid to take the extra pains at times. The pair were close enough to the ground now for Sesshōmaru to see that the Panthers were all armed and girding themselves for a fight. Did the barrier not identify the intruders or were they reacting the same way his own guards had when Tōran arrived? The cold wind buffeted around them like a slap to the face but neither _daiyōkai_ flinched at the chill.

A pair of shivering guards rushed out to challenge them with a hiss, spears pointed at him. Behind them, the gate swung open and more Panthers came out. Three powerful _yōkai_ led the group, silhouetted by the torches. The wind seemed to die down suddenly and Sesshōmaru wondered if Tōran was manipulating it. "Shunran, I thought I had raised you better than this," Tōran said with evident disappointment. "I had hoped to score a point over Sesshōmaru but it seems I was mistaken." The last word had particular emphasis. Sesshōmaru pondered over that.

They were obviously expected since there was no other reason for the other Panther Devas to be present except to greet their sister and leader. They were led by Shunran, the smallest and daintiest of the three sisters, flanked by Karan and Shuran. Sesshōmaru could see that they were about as unhappy about the union as Tsukiyo. Tōran predicted this would happen the night before. So, he stayed silent as the two sisters worked through their differences and idly wondered if he would see Tōran's vaunted leadership skills in action.

"Welcome back, _nee-san_ , I surmise that, since he is here as well, you were successful?" Shunran ignored her sister's barbed comment, a pointed insult back at Tōran. Sesshōmaru looked to see Tōran's reaction. This was insubordination that bordered on outright rebellion for demon lords. And from family she trusted. Sesshōmaru began to wonder if he was going to start his reign with the annihilation of his mate's siblings. That would go a long way to weaken the Panthers' position in this coalition and decrease his clan's anxieties about them. But it would also weaken the force he would be able to bring to bear on the true enemy once the spring campaign began.

The round demon behind Shunran was the only brother, Shuran. Sesshōmaru judged him to be a physically capable, if intellectually vacant demon. Beside him was the tomboy, Karan. Sesshōmaru fought all of them in the past, individually and altogether, and did not rate any of them highly. Tōran was the only worthy foe of the Panther Devas. It was a grudging admission which Sesshōmaru made when he accepted Tōran as his mate. None of her siblings, however, came close to rivaling her in power, skills, or intellect. A little voice inside him also added that Tōran's attractiveness and political suitability as a mate added to his newly-elevated opinion of her. She was their leader and they did not have a capable replacement. Every fight against the other Panther Devas without Tōran present had been unequivocal victories for him. Sesshōmaru had no doubt about the outcome of any battle now if he and Tōran were required to kill them.

Karan relied on her feline stealth and stalking skills to ambush her enemies. But once those temporary advantages were exhausted, she was a poor frontline fighter. She had some skill at commanding troops and knowledge of technology, but that was not going to be enough by itself. Nonetheless, it made her an ideal leader for a scout force. Sesshōmaru could not recall her skill with weapons and demonic power, simply that fire was her element. If she didn't stand out in his memory, she was clearly not worthy of consideration beyond being a danger to demons weaker than herself.

Her brother, Shuran, had physical strength and, ironically, the element of lightning despite not having any of that element's natural speed. Sesshōmaru thought of him as a big, dumb brute. Shuran's physical speed was exceptional but also inconsequential to Sesshōmaru.

Shunran lacked the physical strength of her siblings and relied on the illusion powers granted to her. Wind was her element though it took Sesshōmaru some time to recall that fact. If she had displayed any wind powers, they paled in comparison to what he had seen in recent years from other impertinent and presumptive demonesses. Except maybe the wolf girl. He wasn't sure who was the weaker of the two. Probably the wolf girl but he'd find out one day. Shunran's physical weakness meant she was often in the rear and guarded by regular Panther troops. Sesshōmaru surmised that meant she also had some skill as a commander and could provide battlefield support.

"Are you going to let us in or will we have to keep ourselves warm outside?" Tōran spoke condescendingly, reaching out and running her finger down Sesshōmaru's cheek, as he remained impassive. "We don't mind either way but I did want to show him that I could cook better than anyone in his castle." Her flicked off at the end of his chin, drawing a small cut across it. Immediately, he felt the prickle of power as his body sought to heal the trivial wound. Small swirls of power began to curl around Tōran's fingers but Sesshōmaru kept his hands away from Bakusaiga. All of the other Panthers, including Shunran and Karan, clearly wanted to back down now but their larger brother seemed oblivious and took the lead.

"We can't do that, _nee-san_ , until we know what capacity he is here in."

Tōran made a show of sighing in exaggerated exasperation. She spoke slowly now, as if speaking to a child. "Sesshōmaru is here as my mate and your king. Your hatred and your mistrust for him is to be buried this instant. His clan welcomed me with greater hospitality than this. Who am I, Shuran?" _King_? Sesshōmaru was intrigued by the title. Tōran hadn't said anything about something so grand. But there was still room for this drama to play out.

Her two sisters positively shrunk back in fear now. Their brother's jaw worked but he did not speak immediately. Tōran repeated her question, emphasizing each word for her brother. Slowly and grudgingly, Shuran replied, "Our queen, _nee-san_."

That seemed to satisfy Tōran and Sesshōmaru was impressed by her display of authority. She had forced their compliance through fear. He had thought she was going to harp on about compassion like his mother. "As I told you, some disagreements similar to your Tsukiyo. Now, we're going in, I'm going to cook something for my new mate and then we'll discuss things in the morning." The last was directed at her siblings.

"He's not right for you, _one-san_!" Shuran blurted out with some spirit.

Tōran sighed and said back to him, "Not right? When did I give anyone permission to choose or decide who was right for me? Sesshōmaru has proven himself sincere enough in his commitment to this arrangement. He defended me from a tribe of wolf demons. Physically and verbally, I might add. He stood between their leader and me when he didn't have to. He is the only demon I cannot defeat and the only one who would ever consider joining forces with us without attempting to betray us! Sesshōmaru doesn't have a deceptive bone in his body!"

If that was how she thought of him, Sesshōmaru wondered if he should now consider the idea. He did. And rejected it. There was no benefit. But this was a good opportunity to take the initiative. "Deception is a means for someone without advantage to gain one. When a demon is simply too powerful for his opponent, deception becomes unnecessary. As is the case here."

Now it was his turn to receive Tōran's raised eyebrow. There was an unspoken _Oh?_ from her. "I do not see a need to deceive Tōran when our goals are aligned. Past events have shown that her entrapments are not very effective against me. And knowing her as I do, it would only be satisfying to her if it was a straight fight. So, here's what I propose." Sesshōmaru moved forward quickly, closing the distance and struck Shuran in the gut. The larger demon collapsed, unconscious from the sudden strike. "We allow ourselves in. I am now curious to see Tōran's … homemade meal."

* * *

Chapter notes: This is the full version of Chapter 12 (excluding the Mature interlude, uploaded as a separate story). Rather than post a separate document, I have chosen to delete the old version and replace it with the new one. Work has begun on Chapter 13, which will return to our side characters for a comic interlude. Then we get down to business to defeat the Hu ... Trolls. I have found it is better to slow down and add more descriptive passages, which in turn allows me to evaluate whether I am remaining true to the characters or not.

One point of internal contention on my part is whether to make it possible for the two protagonists to actually have a child. I would appreciate any thoughts on that matter, either in your review(s) or private messages.


	13. Education

Characters are not mine save for those which are invented for the story.

* * *

"What _have_ the humans taught you, Rin? Farming is useless to a demon! And as Lord Sesshōmaru's daughter, you cannot serve as a midwife! Why didn't they teach something useful!" Jaken screamed, scratching his head. How was he supposed to tutor Rin when she had no grounding! It was all that damned mongrel's fault! And that human girl he married!

"Kagome-san said it was good to know how to do these things to survive in the human world," Rin told him. "And they did teach me some letters but paper and ink wasn't always available for me to practice. Kagome-san didn't like me using sticks and dirt to practice."

"Absolutely right! A proper lady uses a brush to write her letters! And did she teach you to fight?" Jaken said bombastically, nodding at Kagome's sentiment. Rin's letters were undecipherable when she wrote with a stick on the dirt and only marginally better with brush and paper. All of this wasn't something Jaken had considered. Instead, he was thinking that it had to do with the propriety for a young lady as well as proper teaching and practice of the correct form.

Rin shook her head. "They said I didn't need to learn that."

"What?!" Jaken sputtered incredulously. "Are they mad? No, of course they're mad! How are you supposed to protect yourself?" Rin shrugged, unable to give him an answer. She hadn't thought about that since Inuyasha, Kagome-san, and Miroku-san were always the ones who protected the village.

Rin had no grounding in proper education! Jaken would have to start from the beginning but he had no idea how. Lord Sesshōmaru had said Tsukiyo would take up Rin's physical training but would she also know how to begin Rin's academic studies? Probably not. That left only one other person and Jaken was very reluctant to approach her.

"Sesshōmaru-sama brought me here to be protected until I learn, Jaken-sama. But that other demoness, Tsukiyo-san, doesn't seem to like me very much." Rin looked down unhappily and Jaken snapped back at her.

"So do nothing to upset her and show her you are worthy of Lord Sesshōmaru!"

"Yes, Jaken-sama!"

The door to Rin's room parted and the Inu no Kimi walked in, her _mokomoko-sama_ flowing imperiously alongside her. "I heard shouting so I came to see what was the matter." Jaken saw that it was a lie because the guards who had been in the corridor had not done anything. The Lady Mother simply wanted a reason to visit. "Sesshōmaru tells me you are now related to me by adoption. Good, you are useful and much too cute to be left to the humans. What are you doing for her education, imp?"

Jaken stammered, trying to organize his thoughts as he changed from being defensive to explaining his own plans. "I-I don't k-know, my lady," he finally said, going to his knees before her. "This Jaken does not know how to teach a young lady everything she needs to know in the span of a few years and when she has such a poor grounding to start." Rin looked from Jaken to the Lady Mother, trying to predict what was coming next and what she should do.

The Inu no Kimi frowned upon the prostrated imp. "Get up, imp. I suspected as much and I have your solution for you." He rose and spluttered his thanks but was interrupted by her. "I do not want your thanks. I want you to do something for me in return." Jaken looked at her, wondering what she could even ask from him.

"Anything, milady."

"Report to me everything that my son and his … mate do once they return. I will make sure you remain by his side. In exchange, I will ensure Rin receives the education she deserves. Now, you know Tsubame and Taiya?" the Inu no Kimi turned to speak the last to Rin, who nodded. "A lady speaks when spoken to. Do not simply nod," the demoness reproached her and then repeated the question.

"Yes …" Rin was about to say the usual "milady" but remembered that the Inu no Kimi was now her adoptive grandmother. But Rin never had a grandmother so she wasn't sure what she was supposed to call her. The Inu no Kimi looked oddly at Rin, trying to understand the awkward response and the obvious attempt to puzzle something out.

Jaken recognized the signs first and spoke up. "Rin did not have any family when we found her. I do not believe she knows the proper titles."

The Inu no Kimi's face softened and she bent down to be at the same level as Rin. She reached out and stroked Rin's cheek gently. "Is this true? Is there really no human family who would claim you as their own?"

"Yes," Rin replied without hesitation. Jaken was surprised that she showed the same stubborn defiance when the Lady Mother was trying to be kind.

"Then there is really isn't any choice. You belong to the Demon Dog Clan now and forever. You will address me as Grandmother. As I was saying earlier, Tsubame and Taiya will be your tutors. Tsubame will teach you the academics while Taiya will teach you the other things required by a young lady. Sesshōmaru has already made separate arrangements with Tsukiyo for your physical training. Imp, coordinate with her tutors. I expect to hear good things on my new granddaughter's progress. Rin, come with me for a while."

Jaken bowed and, when they were gone, let out his frustration with a sigh. Now he had to go speak with the very unpleasant Tsukiyo. As the imp walked to where he last saw the Captain of the Guards training with her soldiers, he noticed that the sentries didn't even look at him. They had been wary of him at first, but it seemed word had quickly spread. Now he was someone they let just wander around. It felt somewhat pleasing since Inuyasha and his wife had left under a cloud of suspicion with Myōga the flea.

"Jaken-dono, were you looking for me?" The imp spun in place, his thoughts all in disarray at the sudden interruption. Tsukiyo was walking towards him from the corridor he had just come down. And she was being polite to him! What was going on? What happened to the aggressive and fierce warrior he had seen?

"Ye-Yes, Lady Tsukiyo. I w-wanted to know what sort of training regimen you had in mind for Rin. As a human girl, she would have difficulty with the things normally expected from a demon," he replied, trying to gauge the latest Demon Dog _daiyōkai_. They had not met during the brief visits when Jaken had previously accompanied Sesshōmaru to his clan's home.

Tsukiyo looked off to the side for a moment and considered her words before making a reply. "She has no innate abilities as a human so the normal things for a lady of the clan to learn will have to suffice. _Kyūdō_ , _tessenjutsu_ , and _jujutsu_. From there, we can graduate to other weapons if Sesshōmaru-sama decides."

"Why those in particular?" Jaken asked, scratching his chin at the choices.

" _Kyūdō_ will train her upper body and strengthen it. The other two will strengthen her lower body and teach the girl how to move her whole body in combat. I consider them a foundation upon which to build a strong warrior."

Jaken thought it sounded true but he needed to test Tsukiyo one more time. "Do you feel that Lord Sesshōmaru's daughter can use those skills to adequately defend herself against demons?"

Tsukiyo laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. "Jaken-dono, your test and concern for Sesshōmaru-sama's adopted daughter is plain. To answer your question, you don't need to look farther than the other humans. The so-called Demon Hunters who train to kill us. Imagine what sort of warrior she would be, a demon killer trained by demons. As for your true question, she is Sesshōmaru-sama's adopted daughter and I serve my lord in any capacity he requires. Rin-ojousama will not receive any special treatment because she is his adopted daughter. I will train her as I would train any group of pups. Does that satisfy you?"

The little imp's head bobbed slowly. "Yes, it does, Lady Tsukiyo. I misjudged you."

"I may lose my head around Sesshōmaru-sama because I love him. But I am still a woman of the Demon Dog Clan and Captain of the Guard. Do not forget that," Tsukiyo said, baring her fangs. Jaken instinctively stepped back, feeling prey before a hungry predator. "With your permission, I will speak with Rin-ojousama." She bowed her head and walked off, carrying, Jaken noticed, Kagome's bow.

The women of the Demon Dog Clan truly were the fiercest. And kind, gentle Rin had just become one of them.

* * *

Author's Notes: Shorter one than usual. It may get updated in future to be longer.

Chapter 14 will be up later


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